PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKENULLWITH MACADAMIA NUTS

Pineapple Upside-Down Cakenullwith Macadamia Nuts image

Yield Makes 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/4 cup dried tart cherries*
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cored, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated orange peel
3 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk
Whipped cream

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides set atop burner on medium-low heat. Stir in sugar, nuts, cherries and ginger. Cook until sugar mixture bubbles, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Cool slightly. Arrange pineapple pieces, overlapping slightly and in concentric circles, over sugar mixture. Set aside.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar and orange peel in large bowl until fragrant. Beat in 6 tablespoons butter until light. Beat in yolks 1 at a time. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until firm peaks form. Fold into batter. Spoon into pan atop pineapple.
Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to rack; cool 5 minutes. Invert onto platter. Serve with whipped cream.