My big mama definitely made the best Sock-it-to-me Cake in all of Mississippi. She would start with a homemade sour cream pound cake base that’s tender and buttery. Then she would layer in a cinnamon brown sugar pecan swirl giving you that bomb texture throughout. And finally, a vanilla icing would cap it off. Baby, I just had to share this recipe with y’all so folks would know how the South really gets down.
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Sock It To Me Cake Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted Butter: You can use salted and leave out the salt.
- Cake Flour: If you don’t have any around but you have all-purpose flour and cornstarch, you can make your own cake flour. Make sure to sift.
- Sour Cream: Plain greek yogurt is a great swap.
- Chopped Pecans: Almonds and walnuts are great replacements.
- Brown Sugar: If you have granulated sugar and molasses, you can make your own brown sugar.
- Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Pumpkin pie or apple pie spice works too.
- Confectioner’s Sugar: Make your own powdered sugar with granulated sugar and a blender in a flash.
How to Make A Sock it to Me Cake
Step 1: Add your butter and sugar to your stand mixer. Mix on high speed for about 3-4 minutes or until it’s looking pale yellow and super fluffy.
Step 2: Crack those eggs and add in one at a time. Mix after each addition. It should be a golden color.
Step 3: Now we are gonna slow that mixer down a bit. Carefully add the flour in two batches. Next get in that salt and baking soda. Make sure you keep your mixing gentle and don’t overbeat boos.
Step 4: Finally we are gonna add in our sour cream and vanilla. Give a good scrape and make sure that batter is gorgeously combined.
PRO TIP: Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl as you create your batter. We want to make sure none of those ingredients hide out and not make it into our finished product.
Step 5: Add your pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to a small bowl. Get it all mixed up.
Step 6: Pour about 2/3s of your cake batter into the prepared bundt pan.
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Step 7: Next sprinkle the filling over the cake batter in the pan evenly.
Step 8: Finish adding the remaining batter to the top of the filling and smooth out with a spatula.
Step 9: Pop in a preheated oven of 325°F. Bake for about an hour and 15-20 minutes. Use the good ol’ toothpick trick. Insert into the center of the cake to make sure it comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool on a rack for 10 minutes then invert onto your cake stand or serving plate and let cool completely.
Step 10: Once cooled, add your confectioner’s sugar and milk to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle right on over your cooled cake, let it set then serve it up.
Sock It To Me Cake Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temp
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups cake flour sifted
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
For the Pecan Filling
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
For the Glaze
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 tbsp milk plus 1 tsp
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325 F. Liberally spray a 12-cup bundt pan with non-stick baking spray or use my homemade cake release to make sure your cake doesn't stick
- In your stand mixer bowl, add butter and sugar and mix for 3-4 minutes on high speed until very pale yellow and fluffy.
- Next add eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides of your bowl as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour into batter in two increments then add salt and baking soda. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Lastly add in sour cream and vanilla extract, scrape down sides and mix until just combined and turn off the mixer.
- Pour 2/3rds of batter into the prepared bundt pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until combined. Evenly pour the filling over the batter then add the remaining cake batter over the top. You may want to smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes then invert the cake on a serving plate for at least an hour or until the cake is cool to touch.
- In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar and milk. Drizzle over cake and serve.
Notes
- Room Temperature: You can keep the cake on the counter in a cake keeper or wrap well in plastic wrap. This is great for short-term storage. It will last this way for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: I personally don’t believe in storing my pound cakes in the fridge. It dries them out and changes the texture.
- Freezer: If you need longer storage options, freezing is the move. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap tightly covering all sides completely then cover in foil and label with the date. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when you want to serve again.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients: Proper baking requires softened butter and room temp eggs and sour cream. This is gonna give you a smooth even batter.
- Toast the Pecans: For an extra dose of flavor, toast the pecans in the oven. It intensifies the nutty vibes.
- Cream that Butter and Sugar Well Y’all: This is gonna add air to the batter so it rises beautifully. Cream it until it’s super light and fluffy.
- Don’t Overmix: We don’t want no dry dense cake y’all. Once you add your dry ingredients, don’t overdo it activating the gluten too much.
- Don’t Overbake: Use the toothpick to insert into the center of your sock it to me pound cake. If it comes out with just a few crumbs, it’s all good boos. If it’s super wet, keep on baking y’all.
- Cool Completely: Don’t add the glaze until the cake has cooled completely. You don’t want it to melt and run off the cake boos.
Recipe Help
Yep boos, you actually can. Just use 1 box of yellow butter cake mix along with 1 cup of sour cream, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, 4 large eggs and a 1/4 cup room temperature water and stir together. Use this instead of making your cake batter from scratch. It should bake up much quicker in about 35-45 minutes.
Just add more powdered sugar until it stiffens up some. Start with 1 tablespoon and increase until you reach a nice pourable consistency.
Yep you can boos. You can make this in a tube pan or even divide the batter between two loaf pans. Make sure you adjust your bake time if you use two pans.
I love to use my homemade cake release. It ensures that the cake comes out clean as a baby’s bottom boos.
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Awesome, good job! I so prefer making this cake from scratch rather than starting with a boxed cake mix. Thank you!
You’re so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Can I use a tube pan instead of a bundt pan
Absolutely!!!
Instead of cake flour can I use all purpose flour instead
I suggest using cake flour as it creates a softer cake texture. You can even make your own: https://grandbaby-cakes.com/sock-it-to-me-cake/
I love everything about this cake
Thanks so much, doll!
I would love to try this. but as an empty nester it’s too much. Do you ever show conversions for smaller recipes?
Sometimes I need only a small bite.
You can halve this recipe and use a loaf pan to cut down the amount. Just watch your bake time since it will be significantly less.
Great recipe! My hubby’s Grandmother passed away in June and she was known for her Sock It To Me Cake. I made this cake today and I can see her giving me the side eye like “this is alright but mine is better” face.
If making this cake using the butter pound cake recipe, should I still cook it on 325 (pound cake recipe) or on 350 (sock it to me cake recipe).?
I would make it according to the butter pound cake instructions.
I finally found someone else who has heard of this cake! I have this recipe that was given to me from a recipe card, from a recipe note, from someone’s memory years ago and whenever I mention it to people, I get “huh?” LOL! It is delicious, although we did not have the nutmeg in the filling mix. I just made one for Thanksgiving, but I am going to try the nutmeg next time I make one.