Sock It to Me Cake

And it’s easy to make thanks to a shortcut ingredient.

By
Sheela Prakash
Sheela Prakash
Sheela Prakash
Food and wine writer, recipe developer, and the author of Mediterranean Every Day. Her work can be found in numerous online and print publications.
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Updated January 29, 2025
Sheela Prakash
overhead view of Sock It to Me Cake (a bundt cake) on a platter with 2 slices cut out of it, one on its side, napkin, cups of coffee, dessert plate with utensils on the side

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser

If you love coffee cake, you’ll immediately fall for this buttery, tender bundt cake that’s hiding a sweet brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecan swirl inside. It’s an impressive-looking dessert that couldn’t be easier to make, thanks to… boxed cake mix! Doctoring up the grocery store convenience transforms it into a truly show-stopping treat.  

Sock it to me cake originated in the late 1960s, when the term "sock it to me" became popular. The catchphrase meant "give it to me" or “lay it on me,” which was used as a punch line in the comedy show Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and featured in the song Respect by Aretha Franklin. 

We can thank Duncan Hines for the creation of the recipe, as the company published its version on the back of its boxed cake mixes in the 1970s and it quickly took off from there. 

Tips for Making Sock It To Me Cake

  • Layering the brown sugar pecan mixture in between the batter helps achieve a more intricate and dispersed swirl. When adding it, leave a border between the edges of the pan and mixture to ensure that you won’t see the filling along the sides of the cake. 
  • For a citrusy twist, try adding a little freshly grated orange zest to the pecan mixture.
  • You can make the glaze up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to use it. Just give it a good whisk before drizzling it over the cake.
Sock It to Me Cake with a slice cut out of it to where it shows the marbling inside

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser

Bundt Bonanza

Sock It to Me Cake

Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 60 mins
Servings 10 serving
Yield 1 bundt cake

This recipe was developed by Marianne Williams

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Ingredients

For the cake

  • Baking spray with flour

  • 1/2 cup (57 g) chopped toasted pecans

  • 3 tablespoons (40g) dark brown sugar

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

  • 1/3 cup canola oil

  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup whole milk

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 (13.25-ounce) package super moist yellow butter cake mix (such as Betty Crocker)

For the icing

  • 2 cups (227g) powdered sugar

  • 3 tablespoons whole milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 cup (29g) chopped toasted pecans, for garnish

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

    Generously coat a 15-cup Bundt pan with baking spray; set aside.

  2. Make the pecan mixture:

    Stir the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt together in a small bowl until combined; set aside.

    overhead view of chopped pecans in a bowl with a spoon for Sock It to Me Cake

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser
  3. Make the batter:

    Whisk the eggs, sour cream, canola oil, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl until combined. Add the cake mix and fold in until just incorporated.

    dry ingredients with wet ingredients added in a bowl with a spatula for Sock It to Me Cake

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser
  4. Assemble the cake:

    Spoon about 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Spoon half of the pecan mixture into the center of the batter in the pan, leaving a 1/2-inch border on both sides. Spoon and gently spread another 1/3 of the batter over the pecan mixture (it’s okay if the pecan mixture mixes with the batter). Spoon the remaining pecan mixture over the batter, leaving a 1/2-inch border on both sides. Spoon and spread the remaining 1/3 of the batter over the pecan mixture.

    Bundt pan, batter poured in with chopped pecan mixture on top for Sock It to Me Cake

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser
    yellow cake batter poured on top of previous nut layer in bundt pan for Sock It to Me Cake

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser
  5. Bake:

    Bake until golden brown, set, and a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack, remove the pan, and let cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

    overhead view of baked cake in a bundt pan

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser
    baked cake cooling on a cooling rack for Sock It to Me Cake

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser
  6. Make the icing:

    Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl until smooth. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake and top with pecans. 

    Any leftovers can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    large spoon drizzling icing mixture on top of Sock It to Me Cake on a platter

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser
    Sock it to me cake on a plate with a few slices cut out and on small plates in the surrounding

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
471 Calories
21g Fat
66g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 471
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 89mg 30%
Sodium 441mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 66g 24%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 49g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 139mg 11%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 132mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.