Cocoa Fruitcake

This recipe is from Hershey's Chocolate Lover's Cookbook. Note: Needs to stand overnight.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 12-16
• Yields: 1 fruitcake

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)

Directions

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.