OUR TOWN COOKS!

“Grandma Wilson’s Light Cakes” is somewhat of a misnomer. Neither “light” nor “cake”, the unique dinner rolls are hard to define and according to Jody Wilson, hard to resist. “You’ve got to experience the Light Cakes,” she said. “When you make the recipe, you’ll understand. It’s a strange recipe, but it’s very, very simple and it works.”
Jody’s husband Brian Wilson grew up eating the Light Cakes. His great-grandmother brought it with her when she emigrated from Ireland. Her daughter Mary passed the recipe on to Brian’s mother Kay. “She took it upon herself to carry on the tradition,” Jody said. “Brian’s grandmother lives on in Light Cakes.”
The North Canton family typically serves “Grandma Wilson’s Light Cakes” at holiday dinners. “They’re perfect with a lighter meat, like ham or turkey,” Jody said. “When we ask people what they look forward to at our house at Thanksgiving, they don’t care about the turkey and the stuffing; it’s always the “Light Cakes.”

“Grandma Wilson’s Light Cakes”

Mix 2 packages dry yeast with 3 cups warm water.

In a small bowl, mix:

1 heaping tsp. Salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup Crisco

In a large bowl, measure 9 cups Robin Hood flour. Make a well in the center, add yeast and liquid. Add other ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon. Leave in bowl to rise in a warm place. Punch down, raise again to double. Separate carefully into rolls about golf ball size. DO NOT KNEAD.
Makes 48 balls*. Place 24 balls in greased 9 x 13” pan. Makes 2 pans. Raise again.
Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Grease tops with melted butter.

* Jody usually increases the size of the balls and makes 32.