There are some who think gingerbread’s season ends after the holidays.

But why should something so fragrantly intoxicating and so nostalgically soothing have a yearly expiration date?

It shouldn’t, especially when the warmth of its spices enfolds us like a big hug. And who couldn’t use the comfort of an embrace like that right about now?

That’s why “Mascarpone Gingerbread Bars” hit the spot now — and anytime.

This easy, square-pan snack cake is from “The Joys of Baking: Recipes and Stories for a Sweet Life” (Running Press, 2019), of which I received a review copy. It’s by food writer and food editor Samantha Seneviratne, who has worked in the test kitchens of Good Housekeeping, Fine Cooking, and Martha Stewart Everyday Food. She’s also the creator of the blog, Love,Cake.

Given its title, it’s not surprising that the book was inspired, of course, by the iconic “The Joys of Cooking” by Irma Rombauer. Seneviratne’s is destined to be a classic, too. She invites you into her life, bravely opening up with personal stories, inspirations, and insights, and even about her brother’s death and her divorce from her husband.

“Baking is a choice,” she writes. “Baking is never a necessity. No one needs a chocolate cake to survive. Except, sometimes, a chocolate cake is exactly what you need to survive. Sometimes, a chocolate cake is the only thing you need in this world. This is a book about and for those times.”

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