Upside-Down Cranberry-Ginger Cake

• Cooking spray
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 3 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks 
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2/3 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat a 9-inch round cake pan over medium heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter to pan, stirring until melted. Stir in ginger; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; arrange cranberries on top of brown sugar mixture.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine 1/4 cup butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter; pour batter over cranberries in prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes; run a knife around outside edge. Place a plate upside down on top of cake pan; invert cake onto plate. Top each serving with whipped topping.

Serves 10 (1 wedge and 1 T. whipped topping); 312 calories.

VERDICT:  I tried to melt the sugar and butter in the cake pan, but the cooking spray immediately turned black and started smoking, so I just did it in a saucepan instead and then poured it into a cake pan.  Perhaps that was the reason my cranberries looked black and not prettily red and glossy as in the picture?  No matter, the end result still tasted good, especially the fluffy, yummy, not-too-sweet cake layer.  Maybe keep and try again with a different topping?