Chocolate Cupcake with Ginger Caramel Filling, Pomegranate Cream Cheese Frosting & Pomegranate Ginger Bark

4 dozen cupcakes

1 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee, hot
147 g cocoa powder
1 3/4 hot milk

675 g all-purpose flour
3.5 tsp baking soda
3/4 + 1/8  tsp baking powder
1.75 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
396 g unsalted butter, room temperature
3.5 cups sugar
7 eggs, room temperature
3.5 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, stir the coffee and cocoa powder together until dissolved. Stir in the milk. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.

Once the cocoa/coffee mixture has cooled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt & cinnamon; set aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined; stir in the vanilla. Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour mixture over the bowl and mix until just combined. Add 1/2 of the chocolate mixture, mixing again until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour and chocolate mixtures, ending with flour. Mix only until flour is just incorporated. Do not over mix.

Bake for 21 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
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Ginger Caramel Filling (for 4 dozen)

1/2 cup water

1 3/4 + 1/8 cup sugar

1/4 light corn syrup

1 cup heavy cream

56 g butter

1 tsp fleur de sel or any salt

1 tbsp ginger powder

Combine the water, sugar, and the corn syrup in a deep saucepan and cook over medium heat.

Stir together with a wooden spoon until the sugar is incorporated.

Cover the saucepan and let it cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.

Do not stir from this point on, but it is important to carefully shake the pan so that one area of the caramel doesn't burn.

Continue to cook until the caramel turns an even amber color then remove from the heat and let stand for about 30 seconds.

Pour the heavy cream into the mixture. Be careful here, the cream will cause the caramel to bubble up a bit. I used a large saucepan and it was no big deal.

Stir the mixture, again being careful. Add the butter, lemon juice, salt, and ginger powder. 
Stir until combined.

Transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool.

Once the cupcakes and caramel are cool, cut little cones out of the top of the cupcakes, fill with caramel, and put the lids back on. Then frost.

Frosting (for 4 dozen)

1 cup pom juice
corn starch slurry
Boil the pom juice, add the slurry, cool.

22 oz cream cheese, room temp
8 oz butter, room temp
13 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Mix the cream cheese and butter thoroughly. Add 7 cups of powdered sugar and mix well. Add the last 6 cups and mix again. Add the thickened pom juice to taste.

Pomegranate Bark

10 oz. bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), broken into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (from 1 large pomegranate)
1½ Tbs. minced candied ginger
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or waxed paper.

Put the chocolate in a wide, shallow, microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until it just starts to melt, about 1 minute. Stir with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth, heating in additional 15-second increments if necessary.

Gently stir half of the pomegranate seeds, the ginger (break up any clumps with your fingers), and the salt into the chocolate.

Quickly scrape the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet and spread it into an 8×10-inch rectangle.

Sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds evenly over the top, pressing them into the chocolate.

Refrigerate until fully set, about 30 minutes.

Break the bark into chunks with your hands (be careful not to crush the seeds), and serve. The bark will keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.