I know pound cake on its own is delicious, but this Sock It to Me Cake makes it even better. It has brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans swirled through, and a creamy maple-vanilla glaze drizzled on top.

Walk with me: We’re in a Houston neighborhood on a humid night, crickets chirping, wooden houses with small porches lining the dark streets. On a corner in the distance, you see a beacon of light. As ...