Star of the East Fruit Bread

Ingredients

 * 1/2 	cup 	(1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
 * 1 	cup 	Sugar
 * 2 		eggs
 * 1 	tsp 	vanilla extract
 * 2 	cups 	all-purpose flour
 * 1 	tsp 	baking soda
 * 1/4 	tsp 	salt
 * 1 	cup 	Mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium)
 * 1/2 	cup 	Chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
 * 1 	can 	(11 oz) mandarin orange segments, well drained
 * 1/2 	cup 	Chopped dates OR Calimyrna figs
 * 1 	cup 	HERSHEY'S semi-sweet chocolate Chips
 * cocoa GLAZE (recipe follows)

Directions
Heat oven to 350 °F.

Beat butter and Sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with mashed banana to butter mixture, blending well.

Stir in cherries, orange segments, figs and chocolate chips.

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool; remove from pans.

Drizzle tops of loaves with cocoa GLAZE.

Store tightly wrapped.

cocoa GLAZE
Melt 2 tbsp butter in small saucepan over low heat stir in 2 tbsp ligh corn syrup.

Stir in 3 tbsp water and 3 tbsp HERSHEY'S Dutch Processed cocoa; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth

and slightly thickened.

Remove from heat; stir in 2 tsp vanilla.

Gradually stir in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, beating to desired consistency.