Preheat oven to 350F.*
Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch diameter cake pan with 3" sides. (If using a spring form pan or other size cake pan, see notes below.)
In a small saucepan, place ¼ cup butter and ¾ cups packed brown sugar. On medium high heat, stir the sugar as the butter melts. Once the butter is melted and mixed in well with the sugar, stop stirring and let the mixture simmer for 15 seconds or so.
Pour the brown sugar butter mixture into the prepared cake pan. Spread the cranberries on top of the sugar-butter mixture.
In a medium bowl vigorously whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch ground cloves.
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat ½ cup melted butter until light. Add 1 ½ cups sugar and beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add 3 eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in 1 Tablespoon orange zest and 1 teaspoon orange juice.
Mix a third of the dry ingredients into the mixture. Beat in half of the sour cream. Mix in another third of the dry ingredients. Mix in the remaining sour cream. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the milk.
Pour batter over the cranberries in the cake pan, and smooth the surface. Bake until a tester comes out clean, 55 minutes to an hour. Cool cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the inside rim of the cake pan to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Then turn the cake out onto a platter.