Root Beer Cupcakes

Summer is just a few days away and I cannot wait! But with the start of summer comes the end of another fabulous school year. For the end of the year party I decided to make root beer floats for my class. I found this recipe in a recent magazine that I thought would go perfectly with the floats. I used margarine, egg beaters, and doubled all the spices. I thought all changes worked out perfectly. I also didn't have the root beer candies, so I used used sprinkles. They tasted like a spice cake with a root beer aftertaste. I would make these again but would do a cream cheese frosting instead of vanilla.
Root Beer Cupcakes
12 ServingsPrep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup root beer
1-1/2 cups whipped topping
12 root beer barrel candies, crushed

Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with root beer, beating well after each addition.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Just before serving, combine whipped topping and crushed candies; frost cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 1 dozen.