Christmas Pineapple Cake

1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 (6 ounce) bottle maraschino cherries
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, packed in juice
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

With electric mixer, blend butter and sugar. Add eggs. Ad liquid from cherries and pineapple, and reserve fruit.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cocoa and salt. Stir in raisins and nuts. Cut cherries and pineapple chunks in half and add to flour mixture. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until well combined.

Pour batter into a greased Bundt or tube pan. (A 13 x 9-inch baking pan, 2 regular loaf pans or several smaller loaf pans can be used instead.) Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until a wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean.

Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Makes 16 servings.