After making margarita cupcakes, I started to wonder what other cocktails would transfer well into cupcake form. The tequila/citrus combination worked so well in the first batch that I decided to try for another, similar drink: Tequila Sunrise. A tequila sunrise is typically made with orange juice, tequila and a splash of grenadine and was easy to adapt to my recipe.

The results were great. The cupcake was moist and lightly orange flavored with a small hint of tequila. These cakes are not particularly sweet, but the icing is, so while it is a good idea to keep the layer of frosting on the thin side, you really need it to make the cocktail-cakes work. Both the orange and the tequila flavors are brighter in the frosting and you can really taste the small splash of grenadine, which I kept to a minimal amount to avoid a pink-colored frosting, that brings the cupcake and the cocktail together.

This is a great cupcake recipe for a party, like New Year's Eve, and can even be brought out for a brunch if you have no objection to cupcakes in the morning.

This recipe can either be vegan or not, depending on your preference, and will work with dairy milk as well as soy. Either shortening or butter can be used in the frosting.

Tequila Sunrise Cupcakes
(adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World)
1/4 cup orange juice (fresh, if possible)
2 tsp orange zest
1 cup soy milk (plain or vanilla)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp tequila
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Fill a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
In a large bowl, mix together orange juice, orange zest, soy milk, oil , tequila, vanilla and sugar.
In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to orange mixture and stir until just combined. Divide evenly into muffin tins.
Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the cakes spring back when lightly pressed.
Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
1/4 butter or nonhydrogenated shortening, softened
1 tbsp soymilk
3 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp grenadine
1/2 tsp orange zest
1 tbsp tequila
2+ cups confectioners' sugar
maraschino cherries or strips of orange peel, for garnish

Cream together butter/nonhydrogenated shortening (depending on whether you want the frosting vegan or not), soymilk, orange juice, tequila, grenadine, orange zest and 2 cups of confectioners' sugar. Add in more sugar as needed to make frosting stiff, but spreadable.
Spread on cupcakes and roll the edges in a small amount of coarse, colored sugar (poured into a small bowl, so it's easy to direct it.