Cake

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 standard eggs
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Toffee sauce

• 1 cup whipping cream
• ⅔ cups white granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Sift dry ingredients together.
3. Cream butter, sugar, and eggs together.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients, mixing just until blended. Mix in walnuts.
5. Pour batter into 8x8 buttered pan and bake until skewer comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce: Combine half the cream with sugar and butter in heavy large saucepan. Boil over medium-high heat until mixture thickens slightly and is deep golden, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in remainder of cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over low heat until mixture is smooth.
7. Poke warm cake all over with a chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour half of toffee sauce over, making sure it soaks into all parts of the cake. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
8. Serve warm, topped with remaining toffee sauce and creme fraiche or unsweetened whipped cream.
9. Combine half the cream with sugar and butter in heavy large saucepan.
10. Boil over medium-high heat until mixture thickens slightly and is deep golden, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes.
11. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes.
12. Gradually whisk in remainder of cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over low heat until mixture is smooth.