The best spice cake ever.

My husband is a boring cake person.  Typically he requests cherry chip cake (the boxed stuff) with cherry frosting.  Blech.

But, I make it because he likes it.  My guy and his pink cakes.

But, this past year he decided to change it up.  He wanted me to MAKE a cake.  EEECK!!!  I started scouring the internet for recipes.  Chocolate peanut butter cake, butterfinger cake, homemade cherry chip... He vetoed all of them.  Said he wanted a spice cake.


Spice cake?  Okay.  So, started searching for spice cakes.  Do you want a carrot cake?  No.  Spice cake with nuts? No.  


Finally, I found this, and I knew I'd be pushing the envelope because he isn't a fan of toffee or of coffee.  But I just KNEW he'd love it.  I am a sucker for anything with molasses.  A tiny bit does go a long way but it is an ingredient I think everyone should have in their cupboard.    So, I did a trial run and brought it to work, making it exactly as pictured. 


My co-workers raved but I knew it would be a no go for him, he wouldn't like eating the toffee like that.  But the toffee that was put in-between the layers melted and you just got the flavor and it was so decadent!  And, as a bonus, you get to keep your teeth.  BINGO!

And let me tell you, this cake batter.  Oh, the cake batter.  It is so dense, and moist and rich and just... lovely.  


And the frosting?  ACK, more molasses!  Trust me folks, you'll convert.




What you'll need:

Ingredients

For cake:

• 1 1/4 cups butter, at room temperature, plus more for pans
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1 1/4 cups milk

For frosting:

• 2/3 cup butter, at room temperature
• 4 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon milk

For the toffee:

• 1/2 cup butter, cut in chunks, plus more for pan
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

Directions:

I suggest making the toffee first, so it has time to cool.  You could even make it a few days before.

Butter a 12- by 17-in. rimmed baking sheet (like a cookie sheet with rims, something flexible is best).

Measure out vanilla and set aside.

In a 2- to 3-qt. saucepan over medium-low heat, stir sugar, butter, 1/4 cup water, corn syrup, and espresso powder until butter is melted and you no longer see sugar crystals. Increase heat to high and boil, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 300° on a candy thermometer, 4 to 5 minutes. Quickly remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla (mixture will bubble up). Immediately spread thinly in prepared baking pan and let cool until hard, about 20 minutes.

Flex pan to release toffee. If using for topping cake, finely chop enough to make 1 1/4 cups. Break remaining toffee into small chunks and reserve for garnish. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.


Now the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour three 8-in. round cake pans.

In a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in molasses.

In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Stir a third of the flour mixture into butter mixture. Stir in half the milk just until blended. Stir in another third of the flour mixture, then remaining milk, followed by remaining flour, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Scrape batter equally into prepared pans and spread level.

Bake cakes until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of a layer comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks for 10 minutes, then invert cakes onto racks and remove pans. Cool completely before assembling.  I recommend putting them in the freezer so they are easier to cut.

For frosting: In a large bowl, beat butter with a mixer on low speed until light and fluffy. Beat in cream cheese until well incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in powdered sugar, lemon juice, and molasses, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until no lumps remain.

With a serrated knife, carefully slice cake layers in half horizontally. Place first split layer, cut side down, on serving platter (adjust parchment paper so that edges of platter are covered). Spread layer with about 1/2 cup frosting. Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup chopped toffee. Repeat frosting and sprinkling with next 4 split layers. Top with remaining split layer, but don't frost or sprinkle with toffee. Brush away crumbs around sides and base of cake.  You can skip splitting the layers, if you want.  Just put extra frosting and toffee between each layer, no biggie.

Spoon 1 cup frosting into a small bowl and stir in milk until smooth. Spread a thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate cake until coating is set, about 1 hour. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

Rather than topping with the toffee I drizzled some caramel syrup on top, but you can skip that.  I just couldn't leave well enough alone.