Sock It To Me Cake starts with a simple cake mix, then gets a boost of flavor from sour cream and a cinnamon-pecan swirl. It’s finished with a light glaze for an easy dessert that feels special.
“Sock it to me” is an expression that often means “give it to me”, and that’s exactly what you’ll be saying when you make this cake!
Sock it to Me Cake is an old fashioned cake that starts with a box of cake mix. The cake mix is doctored up with sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, then baked in a bundt pan with a ribbon of sweet cinnamon pecans in the center.
The original recipe for Sock it to Me Cake was printed on the back of Duncan Hines cake mix in the early 1970s.
The addition of sour cream makes this cake super moist and tender, and the simple powdered sugar icing is the perfect topping. I love it with a cup of steaming coffee or tea!
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Tips for Making the Cake
- You can make this in a bundt pan or a tube pan (angel food cake pan). Make sure to grease the pan well.
- When sprinkling in the pecan mixture, take care to only sprinkle it in the center of the batter. If it gets on the outside and touches the pan, it can cause the cake to stick to the pan.
- Only add enough milk to make the icing pourable. Too much milk will make the glaze thin and transparent.
What You’ll Need
- Yellow cake mix is the base of this recipe. It’s such a great shortcut (this Easy Gooey Butter Cake, 7Up Cake, and Harvey Wallbanger Cake are are few other examples of that!).
- We’ll add sour cream, sugar, oil, and eggs to the cake mix.
- A ribbon of brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans adorns the middle of the cake.
- The cake is topped with a mixture of powdered sugar and milk.
How to Make Sock It To Me Cake with Cake Mix
- Place the cake mix, sugar, eggs, oil, and sour cream in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) and mix until smooth.
- Combine the brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon.
- Pour half the batter into a bundt pan, then top with the pecan mixture. Keep the pecan mixture in the center so it doesn’t stick to the edges of the pan. Top with the remaining cake batter and bake for 45 minutes at 350°F.
- Invert the cake onto a wire rack and cool completely. Then, drizzle with the powdered sugar/milk mixture. The icing should JUST have enough milk to make a pourable icing so it stays put on the cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make Sock it to Me Cake a 13×9 inch pan. Pour in half the batter, top with the pecan mixture, then top with the remaining batter. Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes.
Add more powdered sugar to thicken icing. Conversely, add more milk to thin the icing. You want the icing to be JUST barely pourable. Icing that is too thin will run right off the cake.
Yes, you can substitute an equal amount of walnuts for the pecans. You can also leave the nuts out altogether if you prefer.
More Classic Cakes that Start with a Box of Cake Mix
- Pistachio Cake with Pudding Mix
- Easy Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
- Strawberry Crunch Cake
- Easy Ding Dong Cake
- Jell-O Poke Cake
- Coconut Poke Cake
- Old Fashioned Orange Cake
📖 Recipe
Sock it to Me Cake (with Cake Mix)
Ingredients
- 1 package yellow cake mix
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a bundt cake pan or a tube pan well with cooking spray.
- Place the cake mix, sugar, oil, vanilla, sour cream, and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix gently until combined.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Pour half of the batter into the greased pan. Sprinkle the pecan mixture over the top, taking care to keep the mixture in the center of the batter (don't let it touch the sides). Pour the remaining batter over the pecans.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely, inverting it onto a cooling rack after 20 minutes cooling in the pan.
- Once cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and just enough milk to make a pourable consistency. Drizzle the icing over the cake, let harden, and serve.
I love this cake it is one of my favorites!!!
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