Sock it to Me Pound Cake

Hey Friends! Welcome to Day 7 of the Twelve Days of Pound Cake! Today, we have a Southern Classic, made accessible to those with nut allergies: the Sock it to Me Pound Cake!

I love this cake so much, Y’all. I mean, who wouldn’t love a delicious, ultra-buttery pound cake with streusel mixture in the middle?

Someone who doesn’t love pound cake, that’s who.

This cake is such a southern staple, and I’ve been asked to come up with my own version several times. I avoided it, though, because, well, “proper Sock it to Me Cake has pecans” and I have a pesky pecan allergy.

Pesky as in consuming pecans causes anaphylaxis at this point in my life. Which is incredibly sad, because in my heyday, I could eat handfuls of pecans. But I digress…

This cake is decadent and beautiful, and I promise you won’t miss the pecans (though you can absolutely add them if you want to)!

About this Sock it to Me Pound Cake

Picture this: it’s the ’60s, where everything was groovy and the Pound Cake was having its own little revolution. Enter the “Sock it to Me Pound Cake,” a dessert that brought a whole new level of sass and flavor to the table. Back then, life was all about breaking free from norms, and this cake? Well, it was the rebellious hero we didn’t know we needed.

Now, when you sink your teeth into a slice of the “Sock It to Me Pound Cake,” you’re not just indulging in dessert; you’re taking a time machine back to when life was wild and the music was loud (and good). Imagine the classic pound cake got a 60s makeover, making it the dessert rebel of its time. And guess what? It’s still stealing the show today, with bakers putting their own spin on it. So, here’s to the cake that never went out of style – the “Sock It to Me Pound Cake.” Because who said history can’t taste deliciously fun? I certainly didn’t say that. 😊

There are some purists who will proclaim that this is not a true Sock it to Me Pound Cake if it doesn’t contain pecans. To those purists, I say two things: 1) nut allergy; and 2) those with nut allergies should not be excluded from the delectable-ness of this cake. We are all about inclusion here at Begin with Butter. 😊

Ingredients for the Sock it to Me Pound Cake

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is the star of a pound cake, IMHO. If you want a pound cake that conforms to these beautiful bundt pans and creates a stunning masterpiece, you’ll want all-purpose flour; cake flour doesn’t hold those gorgeous designs nearly as well.

Baking Soda: This cake uses buttermilk as the liquid. For this reason, baking soda is the appropriate leavening. Don’t substitute baking powder in this recipe; it’s not the right tool for the job, and the tanginess from the buttermilk won’t be tamed by baking powder.

Kosher Salt: Every baked good needs salt to counteract the sugar. A little goes a long way, so be careful when you’re measuring!

Unsalted Butter: Room temperature, unsalted butter is perfect for this cake. I used 1.5 cups (3 sticks) of butter for this recipe, and Friends, OMG. I used my favorite cultured butter from Vermont Creamery, but what you use is entirely up to you! The butter helps create the perfect texture in this cake; the creaming process creates beautiful little air pockets that help the leavening work even better! This amount of butter makes for a beautifully buttery cake.

Granulated Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness to our cake, but it also aids in caramelization! And with bundt cakes, that beautiful golden crust is largely due to the caramelization from the sugar!

Eggs: The egg whites in this cake add structure to the cake, while the fatty yolks add flavor. Make sure to take your time whilst adding the eggs! Too much liquid at one time will cause your batter to separate. With the extra stick of butter, this is even more possible; so, take your time with the eggs.

Vanilla Extract: This cake uses vanilla extract. It’s the perfect accompaniment for the buttery cake. 😊

Buttermilk: You’ll want to use full-fat buttermilk for this recipe. Fat=flavor and you don’t want to skimp on flavor!

Streusel Filling: The streusel goes directly into the batter to make the cutest little swirl. That streusel is a few simple ingredients: brown sugar, white sugar, all-purpose flour, cold butter, and a pinch of salt for a lil’ razzle dazzle. The result? Take a look. 😊

Beginners Start Here

If you’re new to baking, or if you want to learn how to do some of the more tricky baking techniques, here are a couple of super helpful articles from the BwB site (and a resource from the BwB Home Baking Academy!) that will help you get set up for success with this Sock it to Me Pound Cake.

• BwB Masterclass: Perfect Pound Cakes Encore! Learn my secrets for making the absolute most delicious pound cakes over and over again!
• My Favorite Bundt Pans
• Meet Your Kitchen BFF–Your Digital Kitchen Scale!
• Technique Tips for the Best Pound Cakes (& Big News!)
• How to Cream Butter and Sugar (With New Video!)
• Baking 101: How to Measure Ingredients
• How to Grease a Bundt Pan
• The Best Tools for Perfect Pound Cakes
• Knowing When to Stop a Technique

These resources are super helpful to help you build consistency and confidence on your baking journey. Happy Reading!

Important Tools Used in this Sock it to Me Pound Cake

Below, you’ll find some tools that I used for this pound cake. These are the tools that I use all the time in my own kitchen.

**I get paid a small commission if you purchase directly from these links, but they are truly amazing products that you’ll find in my kitchen.**

If you have them already, great! Think of this as a checklist to help you build the confidence that you’ll need to execute this recipe!

• Oven Thermometer
• Digital Food Scale
• KitchenAid Hand Mixer
• KitchenAid Stand Mixer 
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set
• OXO Spatula Set
• Sifter

I love everything about this cake: from the buttery bite to the sweet inside, it’s just delightful. It’s a southern staple for a good reason: it’s incredible!

I hope you all love this cake and I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 8!

Sock it to Me Pound Cake

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5 from 2 reviews

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This southern staple has been adapted for those with nut allergies.  You won’t miss the pecans in this ultra decadent version, though you can absolutely add them if you’d like!

• Total Time: 5-7 hours
• Yield: 18 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

For the Cinnamon Streusel Filling:

• 100 g (.5 c) brown sugar
• 100 g (.5 c) granulated sugar
• 64 g (.5 c) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 114 g (.5 c) butter, cold
• 110 g (1 c) pecans, chopped (optional)

For the Batter:

• 384 g (3 c) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 173 g (.75 c) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 57 g (.25 c) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 250 g (1.25 c) granulated sugar
• 250 g (1.25 c) brown sugar (you can use either light or dark brown sugar)
• 6 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 250 g (1 c) full-fat buttermilk, room temperature

For the Vanilla Simple Syrup:

• 67 g (1/3 c) granulated sugar
• 84 g (1/3 c) water
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Glaze:

• 240 g (2 c) confectioner’s sugar
• 3 tbsp whole milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp fine salt

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Instructions

To Make the Cinnamon Streusel Filling:

1. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and salt to a medium bowl.  Stir to combine.
2. Cut the cold butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and add to the sugar mixture.  Use fingers or a pastry cutter, break up the butter pieces until they are the size of peas or larger.
3. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To Make the Cake:

1. Set your oven to a true 325°F.  An oven thermometer is extremely useful here, since most home ovens will not reach 325°F when set to 325°F.
2. Place the granulated sugar and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside.
3. Sift together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, cinnamon, and baking soda in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
4. Add the room-temperature butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl.  Mix with your hand mixer or stand mixer until the fats are completely smooth and combined. Once the fats are smooth and combined, add the sugar mixture and cream until the mixture is light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg until completely incorporated into the mixture.  Scrape the sides and bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
6. Add the vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
7. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
8. Add all of the buttermilk and mix until just combined.
9. Add the second half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Using a rubber spatula, give the sides and bottom of the bowl a final scrape to ensure that the batter is evenly mixed.
10. Prep a 10- or 12-cup bundt pan as you normally would (I use butter and flour to prep pans for this cake).  Add half of the batter, then top with as much of the streusel mixture as you’d like (I use all of it, even though it seems like a lot!).  Add the second half of the batter atop the streusel mixture.
11. Tap the bundt pan several times on the counter to move the batter to the edges.
12. Bake for 65-75 minutes in a true 325°F oven, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 212°F-215°F.  Allow to cool on a wire rack for ten minutes, then invert the cake and remove from the pan.

To Make the Vanilla Simple Syrup:

1. Add the water, granulated sugar, and fine sea salt to a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and boil just until all of the solids are dissolved.  Remove from the heat.
2. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
3. Brush on the cake after inverting it onto the cooling rack.  Allow the cake to cool completely.

To Make the Vanilla Glaze:

1. Add the confectioner’s sugar, fine sea salt, vanilla extract, and two tablespoons of whole milk to a medium mixing bowl.  Stir until the mixture is mixed but clumpy.  If all of the confectioner’s sugar won’t incorporate into the clumpy mixture, add another 1/2 tbsp of whole milk.
2. Continue stirring the mixture until it is completely smooth.  If needed, add milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it is the texture of thick honey.
3. The final glaze should have the consistency of thick honey.
4. Pour over the completely cooled cake with a spouted measuring cup, squeeze bottle, or spoon.
5. Enjoy!

• Author: Shani
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 60-70 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American