I used to bake cookies and cakes *a lot*, but I've not done much in recent years. Turns out it wasn't so great for my waistline or my (thankfully mild) wheat allergy.
Some of my old favorites in case it gives anyone any ideas:
Various pumpkin cakes, usually with topped with nuts or spices and sugar as I don't care for the typical frostings used for them.
Pineapple cake with chocolate glaze (be warned that pineapple and chocolate is a controversial combo - I happen to love it!)
Orange and olive oil cake drizzled with chocolate syrup.
Strawberry cake soaked with lime and Thai basil syrup.
Some of the more interesting layer cake combinations that worked well for me:
gingerbread, orange, hazelnut with spiced honey between the layers and cinnamon frosting
pistachio, saffron, cardamom with rose frosting and more chopped pistachios
passion fruit, chocolate, coffee (carefully chosen beans to work with both chocolate and passion fruit), with vanilla buttercream and a little extra passion fruit syrup
matcha, kinako, black sesame with lemon-yuzu frosting
