Sock-It-to-Me Cake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on November 7, 2011
Time
1½ hours, plus 2⅓ hours cooling
Yield
Serves 12
Ingredients
Streusel
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) light brown sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ¾ cup pecans, toastedCake
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups (14 ounces/397 grams) granulated sugar 4 large eggs, room temperature1 cup sour cream, room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted and cooledGlaze
1 ¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams) confectioners' sugar 1 ½ tablespoons milk, whole or low-fat1 teaspoon vanilla extractBefore You Begin
This cake can also be baked in a 12-cup nonstick tube pan. Using baking spray (a combination of vegetable oil and flour) is the best way to ensure a perfect release from the pan.
Instructions
- Make streusel: Process flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans in food processor until finely ground. Transfer streusel to bowl and wipe out food processor.
- Make batter: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. In food processor, blend sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. With machine running, slowly pour in butter until incorporated, then add flour mixture and pulse until just combined.
- Layer and bake: Pour half of batter into prepared pan and top with streusel mixture. Cover with remaining batter, using rubber spatula to smooth surface. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan 20 minutes.
- Glaze: While cake is cooling, whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla in bowl until smooth. Turn out cake onto rack set inside rimmed baking sheet. Pour glaze over warm cake. Cool completely, at least 2 hours. Serve. (Cake can be stored at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap, for 2 days.)
Time
1½ hours, plus 2⅓ hours coolingYield
Serves 12Ingredients
Streusel
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup pecans, toasted
Cake
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (14 ounces/397 grams) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted and cooled
Glaze
1 ¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams) confectioners' sugar
1 ½ tablespoons milk, whole or low-fat
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Streusel
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup pecans, toasted
Cake
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (14 ounces/397 grams) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted and cooled
Glaze
1 ¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams) confectioners' sugar
1 ½ tablespoons milk, whole or low-fat
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Streusel
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup pecans, toasted
Cake
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (14 ounces/397 grams) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted and cooled
Glaze
1 ¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams) confectioners' sugar
1 ½ tablespoons milk, whole or low-fat
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We replaced milk with sour cream our Sock-It-to-Me Cake, which yielded a moister crumb. Instead of the vegetable oil of the original back-of-the-Duncan-Hines-box recipe, we used more flavorful melted butter in the cake batter.
For the ripple of streusel in the cake, we toasted pecans, then ground them in the food processor with flour, cinnamon, and sugar. We also used the food processor to speed up mixing our cake batter and to give the cake a finer crumb. For a finishing touch, we made a simple glaze of vanilla, confectioners’ sugar, and milk to drizzle over the cake.
Before You Begin
This cake can also be baked in a 12-cup nonstick tube pan. Using baking spray (a combination of vegetable oil and flour) is the best way to ensure a perfect release from the pan.
Instructions
- Make streusel: Process flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans in food processor until finely ground. Transfer streusel to bowl and wipe out food processor.
- Make batter: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. In food processor, blend sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. With machine running, slowly pour in butter until incorporated, then add flour mixture and pulse until just combined.
- Layer and bake: Pour half of batter into prepared pan and top with streusel mixture. Cover with remaining batter, using rubber spatula to smooth surface. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan 20 minutes.
- Glaze: While cake is cooling, whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla in bowl until smooth. Turn out cake onto rack set inside rimmed baking sheet. Pour glaze over warm cake. Cool completely, at least 2 hours. Serve. (Cake can be stored at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap, for 2 days.)
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