Sweetheart Spaghetti-and-Meatball Cupcakes

To make your own fondant: Combine the butter, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and salt in a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer on medium speed to blend them. Add the sifted sugar and mix the fondant on slow and then medium speed until it begins to clump together. Then knead the fondant with clean hands until it is smooth. If it ends up being too dry, add a little more corn syrup; if it's too sticky, sift in more powdered sugar. Wrap the fondant tightly in plastic and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. Makes enough to top a dozen or so cupcakes with spaghetti.

Working with one cupcake at a time, first spread the top with a thin coating of buttercream frosting.

Dust your hands with powdered sugar. Pinch off a 1/2-inch lump of fondant from the batch and roll it between the palms of your hand to create a thin, long rope that resembles a strand of spaghetti. Drape the spaghetti onto the cupcake, curling and looping it just like the real thing. Continue shaping and adding more strands of fondant spaghetti until the cupcake is topped with a good "serving".

Once all the cupcakes are covered with spaghetti, prepare the sauce by whisking the jam in a bowl until smooth. Use the pastry brush to spread the sauce over the noodles.

Top each serving of spaghetti and sauce with a few chocolate meatballs.