Cocoa Fruitcake

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 25 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter or 3/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon brandy extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons hershey's cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups candied red cherries, cut in half
• 1 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup golden raisin
• 1/2 cup diced mixed candied fruit
• powdered sugar (optional)

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 325*. grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan. in large mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar, vanilla and brandy extract until light and fluffy. add eggs; beat well.
• 2 stir together flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder; add alternetely with buttermilk to butter mixture, beating just until blended. stir together cherries, pecans, raisins and mixed fruit; fold into batter. pour batter into prepared pan.
• 3 bake 1 hour and 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. immediately wrap in foil. allow to stand overnight before serving. to serve, sprinkle powdered sugar over top, if desired.