Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your 9x9-inch baking pan with butter or spray it lightly with nonstick spray, then set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and unsweetened cocoa powder.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Slowly add the milk and mix until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Pour in the hot water and mix gently; this will thin out the batter slightly, helping the cake stay moist.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Using a wooden skewer or the handle of a spoon, poke holes all over the surface of the warm cake, spacing them about an inch apart.
Sprinkle the toffee bits evenly over the top of the cake, pressing them gently into the holes. The warmth of the cake will slightly melt the toffee, creating pockets of sweet, buttery goodness throughout.
In a chilled mixing bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream generously over the cooled cake, covering all the toffee bits.
For an extra touch, drizzle any leftover toffee sauce over the top or sprinkle additional toffee bits for decoration. Slice, serve, and savor every spiced, sweet bite of this Gingerbread Poke Cake with Toffee Sauce!
