It can be difficult to think of Wonder Why Wednesday topics. Sometimes I wonder something only to find out that an actual answer does not exist. Other times my wonderometor seems to be empty.
However, there are glorious times when thinking of topics are a piece of cake. Which brings me to today’s question…
Why Do We Say “Piece of Cake”?
Answer: Because cake is delicious and we should always be talking about it (kinda).
According to Phrases.org, earliest recorded use of the phrase, which means “a very easy task,” comes from American poet Ogden Nash’s in his 1936 work Primrose Path:
“Her picture’s in the papers now, And life’s a piece of cake.”
One thought is that the phrase started because it became popular with Great Britain’s Royal Air Force in the early 1900’s. They used the term to describe an easy mission. The thought is that cake itself may not have been easy to make, but it was very easy to enjoy — much like a mission that went off without a hitch.
Another scenario comes from the late 1800’s when cakes were given out as prizes for winning competitions (I would enter more competitions if this tradition were still around today). The champion would celebrate his or her victory with a sweet piece of cake.
Whatever the exact reason, I stand by my earlier statement…cake is delicious and we should always be talking about it.
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