Sock It To Me Cake is a traditional southern butter cake with a ring of cinnamon-pecan streusel running through the center. This delectable treat is quick to come together and easy to make with a butter cake mix, yet tastes as good as any made-from-scratch cake.
Now and then, we need a little something for our sweet tooth around here. This Sock It To Me Cake is one of our favorites, and it comes together quite quickly. You can have the whole thing mixed and in the oven in about 20 minutes. It stays moist for days and is one of those cakes that tastes better the second day.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Pecans: You can substitute almonds, walnuts, or macadamia nuts.
- Cake Mix: You can substitute yellow or white cake mix for the butter cake mix.
- Sour Cream: Use full-fat for the best texture and flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Please use the pure extract.
How to Make Sock It To Me Cake
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- In a small bowl, mix cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Add the cake mix, sour cream, water, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until combined.
- Grease and flour a twelve-cup bundt pan. Pour ½ of the mixed cake batter into the pan. Spoon the streusel over the top all the way around the cake. Pour the rest of the batter over the top.
- Bake the cake for about 45 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter.
- Whisk together milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Drizzle over the fully cooled cake.
Why is it called a “Sock It To Me Cake”?
I am sure that many of you remember the show Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In with the “Sock It to Me” skit. It was a very popular comedy show that aired from 1968 to 1973. This cake also became trendy during the same period. The resounding, affectionate answer when anyone was asked whether they would like a piece of this cake was “Sock It To Me.” The cake quickly came to be named after that popular phrase.
Preparation Tips
- Grease and flour your pan well. I use Baker’s Joy, a nonstick spray with flour, and it works very well for me.
- If you do not have a bundt pan, you can also bake in a 9×13 pan, sprinkling the streusel in 3 lines down the length of the pan.
- Chop your pecans fairly fine, so it’s easier to spread the cinnamon mixture in the center of the batter.
- We are huge cinnamon lovers here! However, if you are not as much of a cinnamon fan, you can swirl the cinnamon-nut mixture or cut back on the cinnamon.
- We like a light glaze on the cake, but if you prefer a heavier glaze, double the glaze ingredients.
More Cake Recipes
Sock It To Me Cake
Ingredients
Streusel Center
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1½ cups chopped pecans
Cake Batter
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 18.25 ounce butter cake mix (less 2 tablespoons for streusel)
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- ¼ cup water
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Drizzle
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees-grease and flour the bundt pan.
- In a small bowl, mix cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Add the cake mix, sour cream, water, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until combined.
- Pour ½ of the batter into the pan. Spoon the streusel over the top all the way around the cake. Pour the rest of the batter over the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes until set or until a toothpick inserted into the top comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting.
- Whisk together milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Drizzle over the fully cooled cake.
Chris Collins
Now THIS is my kinda cake! Can’t wait to try out the recipe on the weekend, thanks so much for sharing!
Adrianne
Woot woot how good does this cake look! I haven’t heard of it but you have explained it well and I love the ideas behind it. The drizzle with only 2 ingredients is awesome!! So easy!!
Angela
I’ve never heard of this cake before – it looks delicious, such a tasty sounding recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Angela! Enjoy!
Jane
Made this several times. Used Duncan Hines ‘butter batter cake mix.’ Made one for work , which led me into making more for family &other fellow workers. Great for breakfast . Laugh in, was one on my favorite shows then & watch reruns whenever possible now. As late arte johnson would say
“…very interesting!!” ” SOCK IT TO ME”
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! I wish I had a piece of this for breakfast! So yummy! I loved Laugh in too!
Irina
I have never heard about such the cake. It sounds amazing! The recipe is a keeper!. Thanks.
pam greer
Oh my, I love this cake! I am old enough to remember when we first made it so many years ago! Thanks for posting this recipe, it’s sooo good!
Sophie
This cake looks so fluffy and decadent. Really yum! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Emmeline
Looks absolutely delicious! I had never heard of this cake before so thanks for including the background of the name!
Heidy L. McCallum
This cake looks wonderful! I have to admit I kind of giggled about the name, “Sock it To Me Cake” I can’t wait to stop at the market so I can make this recipe!
Jennifer Quisenberry
I’ve always loved this cake. It’s so tasty and reminds me of one of my grandmother’s recipes. I’ve also been curious about it’s name. Thanks for solving that for me!