1 ½cups(255g)semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
½cupfinely chopped, toasted almonds or toffee bits
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9- or 10-inch round or square cake pan (or a similar sized springform pan if you want cleaner edges) and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vanilla, yogurt and eggs.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir just until combined and a few streaks of flour remain. Stir in the chocolate chips; don't overmix.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and sprinkle the nuts, if using, on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs - you'll need slightly less baking time the larger the pan you use. Err on the side of underbaking just slightly so the bottom stays melty and gooey.
Serve warm for the hot fudge effect (the chocolate chips will sink to the middle and bottom of the cake and melt deliciously). The cake is also delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Notes
Yogurt: the original recipe I used for years called for buttermilk but I eventually replaced it with yogurt. You can use a variety of different types of yogurt here but my favorite is either homemade (extra thick and lightly sweetened) or a Greek-style vanilla yogurt. If using plain yogurt, keep in mind the cake will be slightly less sweet unless you add another tablespoon or two of sugar.Crunch: the nuts or toffee bits add a delicious crunch to the cake but can be omitted just fine also. Serving: the cake tastes amazing served warm for that fudgy deliciousness, but let's be serious, it's also wonderful at room temperature or even chilled.