Sock It to Me Cake (Southern Bundt Cake From Scratch)

This sock it to me cake is the Southern classic: a tender, buttery sour cream Bundt cake with a ribbon of brown sugar, cinnamon and toasted pecans running through the middle, finished with a thin vanilla glaze that sets into a sweet, crackly shell. It tastes like a cross between a pound cake and a cinnamon coffee cake, and it slices beautifully for brunch, potlucks, holidays or an afternoon cup of coffee.

Below you’ll find the from-scratch method, how to layer the swirl so it stays in the middle and never glues the cake to the pan, a pan-size and bake-time chart, the popular yellow cake mix shortcut with exact amounts, a fix-it table, and make-ahead and freezing tips. The printable sock it to me cake recipe card is at the bottom.

Why You’ll Love This Sock It to Me Cake

• A built-in surprise. Every slice shows a dark cinnamon-pecan stripe through a golden crumb.
• Moist for days. Sour cream keeps the cake soft and tender well past day one.
• Pantry ingredients. Flour, butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans.
• Feeds a crowd. One sock it to me bundt cake gives 16 generous slices.
• Two ways to make it. Bake it from scratch, or use the boxed-mix shortcut when time is short.

What Is Sock It to Me Cake?

Sock it to me cake is a Bundt cake with a buttery, lightly tangy batter and a streusel-like filling of brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans layered through the center. A simple powdered sugar glaze goes over the top. Many versions are made with a box of yellow cake mix, while older, from-scratch versions read a lot like a sour cream pound cake with a cinnamon swirl.

The sock it to me cake became popular in the 1970s, especially across the South. Its name is often linked to “Sock it to me,” a well-known catchphrase from the TV comedy show “Laugh-In.”

• Texture: denser and moister than a layer cake, lighter than a classic pound cake.
• Flavor: vanilla and butter with a warm brown sugar and cinnamon center.
• Look: a golden Bundt ring with white glaze drizzled down the ridges.

Sock It to Me Cake Ingredients

Have the butter, eggs and sour cream at room temperature before you start. Cold ingredients make the batter curdle, trap less air and bake up dense.

For the cake

• All-purpose flour, 3 cups (375 g), spooned into the cup and leveled.
• Baking powder, 1 teaspoon, and baking soda, ½ teaspoon. The soda reacts with the acid in the sour cream for a soft, even rise.
• Fine salt, ½ teaspoon (or ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt).
• Unsalted butter, 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g), softened so it dents easily but doesn’t look greasy.
• Granulated sugar, 1½ cups (300 g).
• Large eggs, 4.
• Full-fat sour cream, 1 cup (240 g). Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt works in a pinch.
• Pure vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons.

For the cinnamon pecan swirl

• Light brown sugar, ½ cup packed (100 g). Dark brown sugar gives a deeper, more molasses-like stripe.
• Ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons.
• Pecans, ¾ cup (85 g), finely chopped. Toast them for 6 to 8 minutes at 350°F (175°C) for more flavor.
• All-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon (8 g). It keeps the sugar from melting into a gooey layer that sinks or sticks.

For the vanilla glaze

• Powdered sugar, 1 cup (120 g), sifted.
• Milk, 2 tablespoons (30 ml), plus a few drops more if needed.
• Vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon.

Equipment You Need

• A 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. A light-colored metal pan gives the most even crust; dark pans brown faster.
• A stand mixer or hand mixer for creaming the butter and sugar.
• A small bowl for the swirl mixture and a whisk for the glaze.
• A long wooden skewer and an instant-read thermometer to check doneness.
• A wire rack for cooling.

How to Make Sock It to Me Cake (Step by Step)

1. Prepare the pan and oven

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the lower-middle position. Brush every ridge of the Bundt pan with soft butter or shortening, then dust it with flour and tap out the extra. A baking spray that contains flour works too. Don’t skip the center tube.

2. Make the swirl filling

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped pecans and 1 tablespoon of flour with a fork until no lumps of sugar remain. Set it aside.

3. Mix the dry ingredients

Whisk the 3 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.

4. Cream the butter and sugar

Beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high for 4 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice, until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This step gives the cake most of its lift.

5. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla

Beat in the eggs one at a time, about 30 seconds each. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla. The batter may look a little curdled; it smooths out once the flour goes in.

6. Add the flour

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three parts, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. Finish with a few folds of a spatula. The batter will be thick and fluffy, almost like soft frosting.

7. Layer and bake

Spread two-thirds of the batter in the pan, add the swirl mixture in a ring, and cover with the rest (details below). Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the center reads 205°F to 210°F (96°C to 99°C).

8. Cool, unmold and glaze

Cool the sock it to me cake in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then turn it out and let it cool completely, about 1½ hours. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth and thick enough to fall in a slow ribbon, then spoon it over the top so it runs down the sides.

How to Layer the Swirl So It Doesn’t Sink or Stick

The filling is the heart of a sock it to me cake, and it’s also where most problems start. Sugar is heavy, and when it touches the hot pan it melts into caramel and glues the cake down. These steps keep the stripe right where it belongs.

1. Start with a thick base. Spread about two-thirds of the batter (roughly 4 cups) in the pan first. In a Bundt pan, the bottom of the pan becomes the top of the cake, so this layer protects the crust.
2. Make a shallow trench. Use the back of a spoon to press a groove around the middle of the batter ring, about ½ inch (1 cm) deep.
3. Keep the filling off the walls. Sprinkle the swirl mixture into the trench, leaving at least ¾ inch (2 cm) of bare batter next to the outer wall and the center tube.
4. Seal it in. Drop the remaining batter in spoonfuls over the filling, then spread gently from the edges toward the center until the swirl is covered.
5. Swirl lightly, or not at all. For a clean stripe, leave it. For a marbled look, run a butter knife once around the ring in a zigzag. More swirling drags sugar to the pan.
6. Tap once. Tap the pan on the counter two or three times to release large air pockets.

The tablespoon of flour in the filling matters too. It soaks up the melting sugar so the layer stays crumbly and stays put instead of forming a heavy syrup that sinks.

Bundt Pan Sizes and Bake Times

This sock it to me cake recipe makes about 7 cups of batter, which fits a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. It also bakes well in loaf pans or a 9×13 pan. Fill any pan no more than two-thirds full and check at the low end of the time range.

Dark or nonstick pans run hotter. If yours is dark, lower the oven to 325°F (165°C) and add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.

How to Tell When It’s Done

A sour cream bundt cake looks done outside before the center is set, so use more than one clue.

• Internal temperature: about 205°F to 210°F (96°C to 99°C) in the thickest part, halfway between the outer wall and the tube.
• Skewer test: a long skewer comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Wet batter means it needs 5 to 10 more minutes. A sticky brown streak is often just the filling, so test a second spot.
• Look and feel: the top is deep golden, pulls away from the sides and springs back when pressed.

Pull your sock it to me cake as soon as it’s done; 10 extra minutes can dry the edges.

Sock It to Me Cake With Cake Mix (Shortcut Version)

The best-known version of this sock it to me bundt cake starts with a box of yellow butter cake mix, and it’s a handy option for busy days. The sour cream and extra eggs make it richer and moister than the box recipe alone.

• Batter: 1 box (15.25 oz / 432 g) yellow cake mix, 1 cup (240 g) sour cream, ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 4 large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat on medium for 2 minutes.
• Filling: 2 tablespoons (25 g) light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 cup (110 g) chopped pecans.
• Glaze: 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk.
• Bake: layer the same way in a greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan, then bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 to 55 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

Many boxes are now 13.25 ounces (375 g) instead of 15.25. A smaller box still works with the same add-ins; the cake is a little shorter, so start checking it 5 minutes early.

Sock It to Me Cake Troubleshooting

Most sock it to me cake problems come down to the pan, the filling or the oven.

Tips for the Best Sock It to Me Cake Recipe

• Weigh the flour if you can. Scooping straight from the bag can add 20% more flour and dry out the crumb.
• Cream long enough. Four to five minutes of beating gives a lighter Bundt cake that rises evenly around the swirl.
• Chop the pecans finely. Big pieces create gaps in the batter where the filling can fall through.
• Glaze a cool cake. A warm cake melts the glaze into a thin, sticky film instead of a white drizzle.
• Use a serrated knife. A gentle sawing motion cuts cleanly through the pecans.

Variations to Try

• Cream cheese glaze: beat 2 ounces (57 g) softened cream cheese with 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk.
• Brown butter glaze: cook 2 tablespoons butter until nutty and golden, then whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.
• Nut-free: skip the pecans and add 2 tablespoons more brown sugar and 1 extra tablespoon of flour to the filling.
• Double swirl: split the filling in half and layer batter, filling, batter, filling, batter. Keep each layer of filling away from the pan walls.

Want a 9×13 version for a crowd? Try this honey bun cake, a glazed cinnamon swirl sheet cake.

Make-Ahead, Storing and Freezing

A sock it to me cake keeps well, and the cinnamon flavor deepens overnight, so it’s easy to bake a day ahead.

• Make ahead: bake and cool the bundt cake up to 1 day ahead, wrap it unglazed, and glaze it a few hours before serving.
• Room temperature: store covered in a cake keeper or wrapped in plastic for up to 4 days.
• Refrigerator: not needed for the vanilla glaze. With a cream cheese glaze, refrigerate the cake and use it within 4 to 5 days.
• Freeze whole: wrap the cooled, unglazed cake in two layers of plastic wrap and one of foil. Freeze up to 3 months.
• Freeze slices: wrap slices one by one and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for about 30 minutes.
• Thaw: a whole cake needs 3 to 4 hours, still wrapped, before glazing.

Flour Safety: Don’t Eat the Raw Batter

Raw flour and raw eggs can both carry harmful bacteria, so don’t taste the sock it to me cake batter or lick the beaters. Bake the cake fully to 205°F to 210°F, and wash your hands, bowls and counters after handling flour. The FDA’s guide to handling flour safely explains why raw flour isn’t a ready-to-eat food.

• Bake any spilled batter or test spoonfuls before eating them.
• Don’t use the uncooked swirl filling as a topping; it contains raw flour.

What to Serve With It

A slice of sock it to me bundt cake is sweet enough to serve on its own, but simple partners help.

• Hot coffee, tea or cold milk.
• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream with fresh berries.
• A dessert table with a 7 Up pound cake, a chocolate pound cake and a tray of mini cheesecakes.
• After a cozy dinner such as beef tips and gravy.

If you love this kind of tender, buttery crumb, try the plain sour cream pound cake recipe or an easy cream cheese pound cake, and browse more ideas in our cake recipes.

Sock It to Me Cake FAQ

Why is it called sock it to me cake?

The cake was popular in the 1970s, and its name is often linked to “Sock it to me,” a catchphrase from the TV show “Laugh-In.” The exact origin of the recipe itself isn’t well documented.

What is the difference between sock it to me cake and coffee cake?

Both have a brown sugar and cinnamon filling, but a sock it to me cake is baked in a Bundt pan with the filling in the middle and a vanilla glaze on top. Coffee cake is usually baked in a square pan with a crumb topping.

Can I make it without a Bundt pan?

Yes. Use two 9×5-inch loaf pans for 45 to 55 minutes or a 9×13-inch pan for 35 to 40 minutes at 350°F (175°C), layering the batter and filling the same way.

Why did my cinnamon swirl sink?

The batter was too thin or the filling sat too low. Use room-temperature ingredients, mix in 1 tablespoon of flour with the filling, and put two-thirds of the batter under it.

How long does sock it to me cake last?

A sock it to me cake lasts up to 4 days covered at room temperature, or up to 3 months in the freezer when wrapped well and unglazed.

Sock It to Me Cake Recipe Card

Calories are an estimate per slice (1/16 of the cake, with glaze) based on USDA FoodData Central values for all-purpose flour, butter, granulated and brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, pecans, cinnamon, powdered sugar and milk.

Chef Emma

Sock It to Me Cake

A Southern sour cream Bundt cake with a brown sugar, cinnamon and pecan swirl through the middle and a simple vanilla glaze, baked at 350°F in a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings: 16 slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Southern

Calories: 400

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour 375 g, spooned and leveled
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt or 3/4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks / 226 g, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300 g
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream 240 g, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon pecan swirl

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar 100 g, packed
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup pecans 85 g, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 8 g

Vanilla glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar 120 g, sifted
• 2 tbsp milk 30 ml, plus more if needed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

• 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Instant-read thermometer or long skewer
• Wire rack

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease every ridge of a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan with soft butter or shortening and dust with flour.
2. Stir the brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans and 1 tablespoon flour together for the swirl.
3. Whisk the 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
4. Beat the butter until smooth, add the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high 4 to 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla.
6. On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three parts, mixing just until no dry streaks remain.
7. Spread about two-thirds of the batter in the pan and make a shallow groove around the middle. Sprinkle in the swirl mixture, keeping it 3/4 inch (2 cm) away from the walls and center tube. Cover with the remaining batter and tap the pan to release air. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the center reads 205°F to 210°F (96°C to 99°C).
8. Cool 15 minutes in the pan, turn out onto a rack and cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until thick and smooth, then spoon over the cake.

Notes

Use room-temperature butter, eggs and sour cream. Bake times: 10-cup Bundt 55 to 65 minutes; two 9×5-inch loaf pans 45 to 55 minutes; 9×13-inch pan 35 to 40 minutes. Cake mix version: 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, 1/4 cup sugar, 4 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla, with 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon and 1 cup pecans for the swirl; bake 45 to 55 minutes at 350°F. Store covered up to 4 days or freeze unglazed up to 3 months. Don’t taste the raw batter. Calories are an estimate per slice (1/16) with glaze from USDA FoodData Central values.