Step 1
Mix together 2/3 cup sugar and orange zest in a bowl. Allow to sit at room temperature until sugar is infused with orange flavor about 3 hours.
Step 2
Combine orange juice concentrate and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Simmer stirring continuously until thoroughly combined and thickened slightly about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let orange syrup cool to room temperature.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Step 4
Whisk flour baking powder and baking soda together in a bowl.
Step 5
Combine butter and orange zest-sugar mixture in a large bowl; mix with an electric mixer until light and fluffy about 1 minute. Beat in yogurt and eggs until blended. Alternately fold in flour mixture and 2/3 cup of the orange syrup (that should be pretty much all of the syrup) in 3 additions beginning and ending with flour. Fold in nuts and dried cranberries.
Step 6
Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups filling each 3/4 full.
Step 7
Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed about 25 minutes. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool about 20 minutes.
Step 8
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat to make the icing. Add 1/2 cup cranberry sauce and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and continue to boil stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add milk and bring to a boil again stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
Step 9
Gradually add sifted powdered sugar to icing. Beat with an electric mixer until thick enough to spread adding a little hot water if icing is too thick.
Step 9
Spread frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and let it harden just a bit. Pipe a ring of cranberry sauce around the edge of each cupcake and sprinkle with orange zest for some added color.