Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together the pecans (optional), ¼ c. butter and 2 Tbs. sugar in a small bowl, using a fork. Sprinkle in a greased and floured 12-cup bundt pan. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with a electric stand mixer 3 to 5 minutes or until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Beat in chocolate mini-morsels. (Mixture will be thick.)
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