Chocolate Sock It To Me Cake

A Sock It To Me Cake is a southern staple. You learn to make it either from your Grandma, or your Auntie, or your Mom. You take it to graduations, receptions and church potlucks.  It is always welcome and revered.  I love chocolate, so I made sure that my version reflects that. I also used a very special ingredient for this cake.

When Marx Foods sent us Tahitian Vanilla Beans, I was in heaven.  I immediately found a small glass container, cut the bean into quarters and topped it off with 2 ounces of vodka.  After about 3 weeks (and many nights agitating it) I had vanilla extract.  Its smell 

blew me away, and the taste was so much better than any store-bought vanilla extract!

Chocolate Sock It To Me Cake

by Traci Bump

adapted from the Duncan Hines website

Bakers Joy cooking spray

1 box Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate Cake Mix 

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup sour cream    

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract made with Marx Foods Tahitian Vanilla Beans 

4 eggs  

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with Bakers Joy.

In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, sugar, and cinnamon.  Add the sour cream, oil, and vanilla. Mix well until incorporated. Mix in the eggs, one at a time.  Fold in pecans. Pour into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 40 minutes.

I like to glaze this cake, some people like to make a streusel topping.  But when you have this awesome homemade vanilla extract, go with the glaze!

Glaze:

1 cup powered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk (at room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract made with Marx Foods Tahitian Vanilla Beans

Combine all glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth.  You could add either a little powdered sugar (to make it thicker) or a few drops of milk (to make it thinner) until it reaches the desired consistency.

Cool your cake in the pan for about 30 minutes.  Transfer onto a cooling rack.  Glaze as desired.