xo's to you!

It's getting closer to valentines day
and we couldn't ask for a better day
to say how much we care
about you!

As we get ready to open the
"NEW"
Christopher Moore Salon
there are not enough words to say
how much we appreciate you
and thank you again and again for your support!

We are getting closer to the grand opening...
literally days and counting!

Stay tuned,
get our new mobile app to connect with us
( it is the coolest thing ever)
http://cmsalon.mobapp.at/
*(must be downloaded from your mobile device, iPad or mobile notebooks)

follow us on facebook, instagram, here at our webpage and twitter...
everywhere!

We can't wait for you to see the new space!
It's amazing!

Soooo... here's a little treat from us to you
(you know we love those cupcakes)
just in time to share on
"we heart "YOU" day"
and "YOU" know we do!
xo's to you!

Dark chocolate cupcakes with Red Velvet Icing
(no, we're not kidding)

Okay Valentine ready?
Let's bake!

YIELD: 24 CUPCAKES

PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES (ACTIVE TIME)

COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe - Red Velvet Frosting - Chocolate Yummy Words

Ingredients:

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Gold Medal Flour
2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. instant coffee granules
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
10 Tb. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
or if you are us... forget all that and get a box of dark chocolate cupcake mix ; )

For the Red Velvet Frosting:

1 lb. unsalted butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. salt
5 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6-8 cups powdered sugar
Red food coloring

For the Chocolate Garnishes:

1 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate candy melts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line muffin tins with 24 paper liners. Sift all dry ingredient together. Cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Set the mixer to the lowest setting and add the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet, until the batter is smooth.
Fill the liners half full and bake for 15-20 minutes—until the cake springs back when touched. Remove the cupcakes from the tins and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
While the cupcakes are cooling, place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted. Then pour the chocolate in a squirt bottle (or piping bag with a small tip) and pipe cursive or connected words onto wax paper. Keep them small so they fit on top of the cupcakes, and write more words than needed, in case a few break. Allow the chocolate words to dry completely before peeling off the wax paper.
For the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, and beat in the buttermilk, salt, cocoa, and vanilla. Slowly add the powdered sugar until your desire thickness is reached. Then beat in red food coloring until the frosting is as dark as you want it. I used almost 2 teaspoons.

Now for the lovey dovey chocolate words
more yumminess com'in at ya (can you stand it)

Okay, this is a very simple garnish.
Melt chocolate and pour into a squirt bottle or piping bag with a small tip. Then lay wax paper out on your counter top and write connected words like: Love, Hugs, Kisses, Smooch, XO's, You+Me, Swoon, Cutie, and so on.
Make sure to write more words than needed, because some will break when you pick them up.
Once the chocolate hardens, peel the wax paper off the back and place them on top of the frosted cupcakes.

And... Wa la! You have decadent, eat your heart out (literally... amazing Valentine cupcakes to share with your lovies.

Happy Valentines Day from us to YOU!
Hugs and Smooches!
Don't forget to hit the heart and like us here for some extra xo's!