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"  To Make the Cupcakes 1. Bake: Make cupcakes using your favorite boxed chocolate cake mix, or follow the recipe for Easy Chocolate Party Cake. 2. Frost: To give the buttercream frosting (recipe below) a satiny pink hue, use Ateco&amp;#039;s Spectrum gel food colors. Blend 3 drops of Deep Pink with 4 drops of Chocolate Brown, then mix into the frosting 1 drop at a time until the desired color is achieved. For picture-perfect peaks, spoon a dollop of buttercream on each cupcake, then smooth it out to the edge. Add a dollop more, then with a demitasse spoon or a small offset spatula swirl the frosting to create a fluff peak on top of the cupcake. 3. Decorate: Accent each cupcake with a vintage-inspired paper-and-wire topper, like the one seen here, designed by craft artist Melissa Neufeld.  Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe  Continuously whisk 1/2 cup egg whites and 1 cup sugar in a large, heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water until the mixture is frothy, thick, and very hot to the touch (about 160 degrees F). Remove from heat and beat with a mixer on high speed. The mixture should then become cool and glossy and triple in volume. Beat in 2 cups cold unsalted butter (4 sticks), cut into 1/2 inch cubes, a few pieces at a time. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat until fluffy. Makes 3 cups.  To Make the Handle for Cupcakes   1. Cut a length of silver glitter pipe cleaner that is long enough to tuck in each side of the cupcake to create a handle. 2. Thread 3 glass beads\u2014you can choose any bead you like or use vintage mercury glass beads, such as the ones we featured\u2014to center of pipe cleaner. 3. Print &amp;quot;Valentine&amp;quot; onto paper, cut out, and attach to side of pipe cleaner. 4. Attach handle to cupcake by tucking both ends into cupcake.  More Valentine&amp;#039;s Day Crafts:   Rosette Cupcake Topper   Valentine&amp;#039;s Day Party Favor   Click here to download printable instructions for all three Valentine&amp;#039;s Day crafts.  Download not working? Get the newest Adobe PDF reader now! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/how-to/a2105/title-172-dupe/>