Cake:
1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (16 oz) package light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 cup hot water
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two foil-lined 9x9x2 inch square pans.

Melt semisweet chocolate in microwave on 30-second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth. Beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed until well blended, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating until just blended.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture, alternating with sour cream. Begin and end with flour, beating at low speed until just blended. Gradually add hot water in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack.

Praline Icing:

2 cups brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

Bring brown sugar, whipping cream and butter to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add pecans. Stir gently 3-5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and slightly thicken. Pour immediately over cakes in pans. Let cool completely; cut cakes into squares.