I think it depends how often you go to the host. If like crdle said, you go all the time, I think it’s unnecessary (and a little over the top) to bring something EVERY time you go. If they’re close enough to you to ask you to make food for them, then I think you should be comfortable enough going sans gifts. We have a guest that comes almost every Shabbos, and never brings anything. I think in a way that bringing something would diminish their closeness with our family. That’s not to say that once in a while you can’t bring something, or that you don’t thank them, etc.
Also, to the people who said they like to bake for their hosts.. sometimes we have guests over who’s kashrus we don’t 100% trust, so then it becomes a little uncomfortable if they had baked something for us. We prefer a wine or some sort of food where the hechsher is obvious. That being said, we never expect or need a gift -we invite people because we enjoy having guests, not because we want to receive gifts.