Instructions: * Note: Sold at specialty foods stores, natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 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.

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Comments: Among favorite desserts of the decade were waffles, served with ice cream and syrup, as well as this easy cakes ancestor. The treat reached its maximum popularity with the increasing availability of canned pineapple and the marketing efforts of the Dole Company. Todays widely available fresh fruit - spiked with ginger, macadamia nuts and orange zest - gives a great result.

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