Tis the season of holiday cheer, aka the season of consumerism and gluttony.

Which is convenient for someone with a food blog because my “market” (in quotations, because making money from The Gourmet Gourmand is currently purely speculative..) seems to be going wild for Christmas-y treats this time of year.

As a kid I was never a fan of the “spiced” genre of Christmas treats. I was much more into my grandma’s sugar cookies with sprinkles, or, let’s be real, anything chocolate. I don’t know when exactly my tastes for spiced baked-goods developed, but it’s definitely one of those flavors that now screams holiday to me, and, as an adult, it’s now the flavor that I crave this time of year, not just santa-shaped milk chocolate candies.

(Although, let’s be real, there will always be a place in my heart for santa-shaped milk chocolate candies). Now, I wish I could say that I was “making this for a party” or “taking this gorgeous cake to a holiday potluck.” But no. I made this gingerbread bundt cake with maple glaze purely because I wanted more sugar in my life, and I am (only slightly) embarrassed to confess this on the internet.

Also Dave claims to like spice cake as well…. so maybe this was an act of generosity..?

The cake was adapted from a Chowhound.com recipe for gingerbread loaf. But, naturally, I decided to double the recipe and make it into a bundt cake… because, you know, more is better.

And then what’s a girl to do, but douse the entire thing in a sweet and spiced maple glaze? Here are the reasons you need this cake in your life:

1) It’s a bundt cake. So it’s super easy. And festive. (Despite what My Big Fat Greek Wedding lead us all to believe).

2) It’s aggressively spiced and includes 2 tablespoons of powdered ginger. If that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will.

3) It’s so so so moist. Which is how all cakes should be, and this one absolutely delivers.

4) That. maple. glaze. Confession time- after making this cake I am now determined to find numerous ways to sneak more “maple glaze” into my life. It’s that good, I swear.

So if that doesn’t sell you, I hope my images will. Because despite the fact that I am not personally delighting anyone but myself (and maybe Dave if he’s quick) with this Gingerbread cake, I do think that your friends, office mates, family, and santa will be so pleased with you if you show up bearing this cake in tow.