Food and Recipes Desserts Cakes Layer Cakes Chocolate-Gingerbread-Toffee Cake 3.0 (4) 4 Reviews Lynn's cake blew us away. "It tastes like all the wonderful flavors that come tumbling from a stocking: milk chocolate Santas, gingerbread men, and buttery toffee candy," said one starry-eyed staffer. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 1, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell Hands On Time: 45 mins Total Time: 9 hrs 5 mins Servings: 10 to 12 With all the flavors of the holidays, this cake is a favorite among both Southern Living Test Kitchen staff and readers. While it requires some time to finally be ready, the hands-on time is less than hour, so you can still be highly impressive and highly efficient with your holiday baking. Ingredients Ginger Whipped Cream 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels 1 (16-oz.) package light brown sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 3 large eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream 1 cup hot water 1/2 cup molasses 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Silky Ganache (recipe below) 1 cup toffee bits Garnishes: Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies Fresh cranberries Fresh mint Silky Ganache: 1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons heavy cream Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare Ginger Whipped Cream as directed in Step 1 of recipe (through chilling). Microwave chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Beat brown sugar and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended. Sift together flour and next 5 ingredients. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir together hot water and next 2 ingredients. (Mixture will foam.) Gradually stir molasses mixture and vanilla into chocolate mixture just until blended. Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour). Meanwhile, prepare Silky Ganache. Pour water to depth of 1 inch into bottom of a double boiler over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer; place chocolate and salt in top of double boiler over simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until melted. Add sweetened condensed milk; cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until blended and smooth. Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla, and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until smooth. Let cool to room temperature (about 45 minutes). Transfer to a bowl. Gradually add cream to chocolate mixture, and beat with an electric mixer at high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth and the consistency of a thick buttercream frosting. Use immediately. Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread with half of ganache; sprinkle with 1/2 cup toffee bits. Top with second cake layer; spread with remaining ganache, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup toffee bits. Top with remaining cake layer. Cover and chill 2 to 8 hours. Finish preparing Ginger Whipped Cream as directed in Step 2 of recipe. Spread top and sides of cake with whipped cream just before serving. Garnish, if desired. Rate It Print