Nancy Silverton's Cranberry-Ginger Upside-Down Cake

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Make the topping: Slice ginger into ¼-inch disks. Combine with cinnamon and wine, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, add cranberries and let them soak until liquid cools. Cranberries should be slightly soft but not mushy.

2. Step 2

   In a 10-inch, oven-safe frying pan, heat butter with maple sugar, stirring mixture until it melts. Tilt pan to coat the bottom evenly; cool.

3. Step 3

   When maple-butter mixture is at room temperature, arrange drained cranberries in concentric circles in pan, starting in middle. There should be a single layer of cranberries. Set aside.

4. Step 4

   Make the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter, and beat in brown sugar until well mixed. In a second bowl, stir together yolks and molasses. In a third bowl, sift together flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.

5. Step 5

   Alternate adding dry ingredients and yolk mixture to butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

6. Step 6

   Dissolve baking soda in 1 tablespoon hot water. Stir into batter. Stir in sour cream.

7. Step 7

   Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until stiff. Whisk a third of the whites into batter; fold in remaining whites.

8. Step 8

   Spread batter in an even layer over cranberries. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven, and allow to sit a minute or so. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and invert it onto flat serving platter. Serve immediately with a large dollop of sour cream or crème fraîch.