Chocolate Holiday Fluted Tube Fruitcake

Instructions

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1. - Preheat oven to 300°F. Spray pan with non-stick vegetable pan spray.
2. - In medium bowl, combine pineapple, cherries, lemon peel, citron and brandy. In large bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer until frothy. Slowly beat in sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, cocoa powder and baking powder, mixing well. Stir in fruit with brandy, pecans, chocolate chips and orange peel. Mix until well blended.
3. - Fill the pan no more than two-thirds full. Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, starting to check at 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10min, then turn out onto a cooling grid to cool completely
4. - Make the Simple Syrup In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely, then remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
5. - Coat the Cranberries Add the fresh cranberries to the warm syrup and stir gently until each berry is coated. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries to a Wilton cooling grid set over parchment paper. Let them dry for about 1 hour, until they feel tacky to the touch.
6. - Add the Sparkling Sugar Roll the tacky cranberries in Wilton White Sparkling Sugar until fully coated. Return them to the cooling grid and allow them to dry for at least 1 hour.
7. - Dust with Confectioners' Sugar Place the cooled fruitcake on a cake stand or serving plate. Spoon confectioners' sugar into a fine-mesh sieve and gently tap it over the top of the cake for a light, snowy finish. Let a little fall onto the stand around the cake.
8. - Add the Sugared Cranberries Arrange the sugared cranberries in small clusters along the top of the cake. Place a few extra cranberries on the cake stand around the base to finish the look.
9. - Serve For the cleanest finish, dust the cake with confectioners' sugar just before serving, since the sugar will soak into the cake over time. Sugared cranberries can be made up to one day ahead and stored uncovered at room temperature.