Cooking Directions

• Heat the oven to 350°F.  Place paper liners into 24 (2 1/2-inch) muffin-pan cups.Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.Reduce the speed to low.  Slowly add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk, and beat just until combined.Spoon the batter into the muffin-pan cups.  Place 1 piece candy onto each.  Press the candy down into the batter.Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let the cupcakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely on wire racks.Frost the cupcakes with the frosting.  Sprinkle with the sugar.  Press 1 cookie into each cupcake for the duck's beak.  Press 2 marshmallows into each cupcake for the duck's eyes.

Ingredients

• 1.333 cups all-purpose flour1.5 teaspoons baking powder0.5 teaspoon baking soda0.25 teaspoon salt0.75 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened1.333 cups sugar3 egg1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup buttermilk24 pieces gummy bears candyor Swedish Fish or gum drops1 container (12 ounces) white frosting24 Oreo® cookies48 miniature marshmallows