Southern Sock It To Me Cake with Duncan Hines Cake Mix

Southern bakers have been doctoring up a box of Duncan Hines cake mix into this bundt cake since the 1970s, and it still disappears just as fast today. Sour cream, eggs, and oil turn the mix into a rich, moist batter, while a cinnamon pecan streusel bakes into a tunnel through the center. Starting from a boxed mix means you get a from-scratch texture without measuring out flour and leavening from a dozen containers. It bakes in about an hour, so it fits easily into a weeknight or a weekend potluck

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Sock It To Me Cake is a Southern bundt cake made with a doctored boxed cake mix, and it has remained a favorite since the recipe first appeared on Duncan Hines cake mix boxes decades ago. The batter gets extra richness from sour cream and oil, while a simple cinnamon-pecan streusel is layered into the middle before baking.

The cake can be served plain or finished with a thin powdered sugar glaze. Either way, the streusel tunnel through the center is the whole point, giving every slice a pocket of cinnamon and toasted pecan.

Ingredients

Cake & Filling

• Yellow cake mix – Forms the moist, buttery base of the cake and reduces from-scratch prep time.
• Large eggs – Bind the batter together and add richness.
• Sour cream – Tenderizes the crumb and adds a subtle tang. Use full-fat for the best texture.
• Vegetable oil – Keeps the cake moist throughout baking and storage.
• Water – Thins the batter to the right consistency for pouring.
• Sugar – Adds sweetness and helps the crust turn golden.
• All-purpose flour – Provides structure so the cake holds its shape around the streusel tunnel.
• Brown sugar – Sweetens the streusel filling with a deeper, molasses-like flavor.
• Ground cinnamon – Gives the streusel its signature warm spice flavor.
• Chopped pecans – Add crunch and nutty flavor to the streusel tunnel.

Glaze (optional)

• Powdered sugar – Forms the base of a smooth, sweet glaze.
• Milk – Thins the powdered sugar to a pourable drizzle consistency.

Ingredient Notes

Finely chopped walnuts can stand in for pecans if that’s what you have on hand.

Use full-fat sour cream rather than low-fat or fat-free. It makes a noticeable difference in the final texture.

How to Make a Sock It To Me Cake

1. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or bundt pan.
2. Combine 2 tablespoons cake mix, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans in a medium bowl.
   

   

3. Combine remaining cake mix, flour, eggs, sour cream, oil, water, and sugar in a large bowl.
4. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
5. Pour two-thirds of the batter into a bundt pan or a tube pan.
6. Sprinkle streusel filling on the batter.
7. Spoon the rest of the batter over the filling.
   

   

8. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Cool the cake in the pan for 25 minutes.
10. Invert the cake onto a serving plate and cool it completely.
11. Combine powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl until smooth.
12. Drizzle the glaze onto the cake.

Make sure the cake is completely cooled before topping it with the glaze. This helps to keep the glaze from melting into the cake.

Storing & Reheating Instructions

• Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight container for 7 to 10 days.
• Reheating Method: This cake is best served at room temperature and doesn’t require reheating. If you prefer it warm, microwave a single slice for about 10 seconds.
• Freezer Storage: Freeze for up to 3 months, tightly wrapped in plastic and foil. For best results, freeze the cake without the glaze and add it after thawing.

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