Dark Chocolate covered Cherry Cupcakes * Valentine's Day * TRIPLE CHERRY * - CINDY'S ON-LINE RECIPE

Ingredients

• 4 TB cherry jam
• 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 TB. unsweetened cocoa powder (I like dark best)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (dark is best)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups butter, softened
• 1 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
• 1 tsp shortening (i.e. Crisco)
• 3-1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 24 maraschino cherries, well drained
• chocolate shavings and/or curls (optional)