Sock-It-to-Me Cake
Updated October 11, 2023
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
- Total Time
- 2 hours
- Prep Time
- 45 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
3 cups/344 grams cake flour, plus more for coating the pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup/100 grams chopped pecans
½ cup/110 grams dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups/340 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 ½ cups/525 grams granulated sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup/250 milliliters sour cream, at room temperature
Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan
FOR THE GLAZE
2 cups/184 grams confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons milk, plus more as needed
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 to 16 servings)
80 grams carbs; 129 milligrams cholesterol; 621 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 32 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 276 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 59 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Step 2
Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.
- Step 3
In a small bowl, toss together the pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Step 4
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the granulated sugar and mix until light and fluffy, another 2 minutes, scraping down the sides. Add eggs, one at a time, waiting until each is fully mixed in before adding the next. Add the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with half the sour cream, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Step 5
Generously spray a 12-cup Bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and coat lightly with some cake flour, tapping out any excess over the sink.
- Step 6
Scoop half of the cake batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out, and spread the pecan mixture evenly over the top. Top with the remaining cake batter, spreading it in an even layer, and tap the pan on the counter to release air.
- Step 7
Bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Step 8
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife along the edges of the cake to make sure it isn’t sticking to the pan. The cake should naturally start pulling away within a few minutes of being out of the oven. Unmold onto a rack set over a baking sheet, and let cool to room temperature.
- Step 9
Make the glaze: To a medium bowl, add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and milk, and stir until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk. You want it to be thin enough to coat the back of the spoon. Pour over the cooled cake and serve.
Private Notes
Comments
For those with sugar concerns regarding desserts, may I suggest a cheese board.
A cake with all-purpose flour substituted for cake flour is more likely to have a slightly coarser crumb, while a cake made with cake flour will have a finer, more even crumb and enhanced tenderness.
Instead of cake flour, try using 2 ½ c AP flour and ½ c corn starch (flour). It reduces the relative amount of gluten in the cake, and lightens the batter for a good rise. Also, to assist with the cake release, microwave 1 T butter until melted. Mix in 1 T neutral oil (like canola) and 1 T flour. Apply to the pan with a pastry brush.
Lovely tender crumb and nice flavor. If I make again, I will likely put 75% of the batter in the pan before adding the nut mixture and be careful to keep the mixture towards the center of the batter. The mixture sank as it baked, ended up touching the pan in parts, and caused the cake to break a bit unmolding. Tastes nice, but the nut mixture is not evenly distributed. Nice cake, but not sure I will make again.
@Nicky In the US, "coffee cake" more often refers to a style of cake that you eat with coffee, not a cake flavored with coffee. It is often served as part of a brunch or as a mid-morning snack than dessert. Often is had a topping or filling of sugar and nuts, as this cake does.
Not sure why people love this recipe. My husband with the sweet tooth thought it was too sweet. It's too much cinnamon for the the amount of brown sugar/pecan mixture, which sunk to the bottom of the pan as it baked. And in the end, that layer separated from the rest of the cake when I attempted to remove the cake from the pan.