INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
• ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 ripe fresh pineapple, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch-thick half-circles
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, separated
• ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup whole milk
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Position a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F.

2. Process ½ cup of the sugar and ginger in a food processor until ginger is finely ground, about 1 minute.

3. Melt ¼ cup of the butter in an ovenproof 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add brown sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Add pineapple, increase heat to high, bring mixture just to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove skillet from heat and set aside.  Arrange pineapple slices in a pleasing pattern in the skillet.

4. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

5. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat remaining ½ cup butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy.  Add ginger sugar and remaining ½ cup granulated sugar and beat, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, until very light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.  Add egg yolks and vanilla and beat until blended.  Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture alternately with milk, in 2 batches each, scraping down sides of bowl.  Beat just until blended.

6. With clean beaters on medium speed, beat egg whites in a medium bowl just until foamy.  Increase speed to medium-high, add cream of tartar, and beat just until egg whites form stiff peaks when beaters are lifted.  With a whisk or a rubber spatula, fold ¼ of whites into flour mixture; continue to gently fold in whites; one quarter at a time, until all whites have been added.

7. Spoon batter over pineapple and gently smooth top with a rubber spatula; the batter will spread to completely cover pineapple during baking.  Bake until top is golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.  Let cool in skillet on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

8. Run a rubber spatula around edges of cake, then invert it onto a heatproof serving platter, leaving skillet over cake for 5 minutes.  Remove skillet and serve cake warm, cut into wedges.

SERVES 8