Sock It To Me Cake
This Sock It To Me Cake is so moist and full of cinnamon flavor. Starting with a boxed cake mix, you add a sweet pecan filling and a simple glaze on top. This cake is always a hit!
A DELICIOUS BUNDT CAKE WITH A FUN NAME
This Sock It To Me Cake reminds me of a really good coffee cake with the warm spice of cinnamon and the addition of pecans. It’s a popular cake in the south and for good reason! With a few simple pantry staple ingredients, you can whip up a tasty, moist cake that everyone will love!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Some of y’all might not care but I was really interested in knowing how on earth the cake got this crazy name! It turns out it has an interesting history! The name “Sock It To Me Cake” originated from a comedy show called “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” in the late 60’s, early 70’s (who here is old enough to remember – ha!) The show featured a catchphrase, “Sock it to me.” Whenever one of their characters was surprised, he’d say “Sock it to me!”
So one year, the General Mills company sponsored the show and featured a recipe for a cake in their commercials during the program. The cake’s recipe included a filling of brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts that you wouldn’t see until you cut into the cake – a surprise filling. That surprise filling was similar to the shows famous surprise catchphrase and so in true marketing fashion, they decided to name it “Sock It To Me Cake” to capitalize on this pop culture moment. And for some reason, it really took off in the southern states where it gained huge popularity. So, we often associate this cake with the south.
This cake is made with a yellow cake mix along with a brown sugar, cinnamon and nut filling. The cake has a glaze topping that is made from powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.
This Sock It To Me Cake has a base of a yellow cake, but with the added spices and flavors, it has a cinnamon coffee cake type flavor.
My go-to for keeping cakes from sticking to the bundt pan is baking spray with flour in it (like Baker’s Joy). There is an image below from one of my other recipes. Pam also makes a version for baking. This is amazing stuff and I swear by it. Just spray all the nooks and crannies of your pan very liberally. I never have any issues getting my bundt cakes out of the pan. You can find it at all major grocery store chains where all the other cooking oils and sprays are located.
Or, you can grease your bundt pan really well with shortening (Crisco) and then coat it with flour to help release the cake once it’s baked. 
You bet! This glaze is a super simple powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla glaze. You can change it up by trying any of these ideas: sour cream glaze, cream cheese glaze, or a cinnamon powdered sugar glaze.
Leftover cake can be placed in an airtight container or covered with plastic. It should be kept at room temperature for up to 4 days. Keep it for longer in a container in the fridge for up to a week. If refrigerating it, let it come to room temp before eating. Additionally, you can freeze any leftover cake for up to 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- yellow cake mix – the original sock it to me cake is a yellow cake but you could use a vanilla or white cake mix or even make your own homemade yellow cake if you don’t like to use cake mixes
- light brown sugar – you could use dark brown sugar if that’s all you have but it will have more of a molasses flavor.
- sour cream – you do not taste this as a separate ingredient and does not make the cake taste sour, it provides moistness and is great to add to boxed cake mixes.
- finely chopped pecans – it’s not a Sock it to Me Cake without pecans but if you don’t like them just leave them out or substitute with finely chopped walnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts.
- ground cinnamon – you could get creative here and use a pumpkin pie spice to change it up for the fall season
- salted butter – unsalted is fine if that is all you have but you’ll want to add about 1 teaspoon of salt (this provides a nice balance to cut the sweetness of the glaze.
- powdered sugar – you’ll also see this called confectioners sugar.
- milk – you could also use heavy cream of half and half (I have not tried this with milk alternatives like soy milk, etc.)
HOW TO MAKE SOCK IT TO ME CAKE
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a standard-sized (10-inch) bundt pan with baking spray that has flour in it (like Baker’s Joy) and set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, mix together the yellow cake mix (reserve 2 tablespoons on the side for the filling), sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, water, and sour cream until well combined for 2 minutes, and set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and the reserved cake mix.
Stir in the butter until everything is coated.
Layer half of the cake batter into the bottom of the bundt pan.
Add the filling to the center of the pan all the way around. Try your best not to touch the edges of the pan.
Spoon the remaining cake batter on top of the filling and smooth it out.
Bake for 45-50 minutes. If it seems to be browning too much on top, cover it loosely with foil. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center evenly from both sides of the pan comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Then, invert the pan over a wire rack and let it cool completely.
Once the cake is cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Place the bundt on your serving dish and pour the glaze on top so it drips down the sides.
Serve immediately, or let the glaze sit for about 30 minutes to harden slightly, then slice and serve.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Sock It To Me Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 15.25 ounce box yellow cake mix (2 Tablespoons reserved on the side for the filling)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 4 large eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 water
- 1 cup sour cream
For the filling:
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a standard-sized (10-inch) bundt pan with baking spray that has flour in it (like Baker’s Joy) and set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, mix together the yellow cake mix (reserve 2 tablespoons on the side for the filling), sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, water, and sour cream until well combined for 2 minutes, and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and the reserved cake mix.
- Stir in the butter until everything is coated.
- Layer half of the cake batter into the bottom of the bundt pan.
- Add the filling to the center of the pan all the way around. Try your best not to touch the edges of the pan.
- Spoon the remaining cake batter on top of the filling and smooth it out.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. If it seems to be browning too much on top, cover it loosely with foil. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center evenly from both sides of the pan comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Then, invert the pan over a wire rack and let it cool completely.
- Once the cake is cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Place the bundt on your serving dish and pour the glaze on top so it drips down the sides.
- Serve immediately, or let the glaze sit for about 30 minutes to harden slightly, then slice and serve.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- You can double the filling if you like.
- If you have trouble removing bundt cakes, either grease with shortening and cover with flour, or (my personal favorite) use the baking spray with flour in it (like Baker’s Joy).
- Any nuts will work as well. Just make sure you chop them up finely. Walnuts and almonds would especially be good.
- Keep leftovers at room temperature for 4 days covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. It keeps for 1 week in the fridge again in an airtight container. It is best eaten at room temperature, so allow it to come to room temperature before eating.
- You can freeze leftover cake for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I remember this cake from years ago. My Mom made this for us when we returned from being stationed in Germany in the 60’s! She said it was all the rage. It was so good then, and it is still so good. Thanks for bringing back the memories. Now I will not have to dig through her recipes to find the recipe. LOL!
Claudine – I love when folks share their special memories of a recipe – there is something special about food that really brings us all together!! Thank you!!