What Does “A Piece Of Cake” Mean? Is It An Idiom Or A Slang?

How did the word “cake” turn out to mean “easy”? You may have wondered what is behind this common phrase and what it stands for in the English language. Let’s look into some further details on the expression “a piece of cake.”

“A piece of cake” means when we describe something as being easy or effortless. It also refers to a task that turned out more straightforward than you expected, requiring less effort on your part. It falls into the idiom category. i.e., “I said I wasn’t going to pass the test, but it was a piece of cake!”

A widespread idiom, “a piece of cake,” can be used in a wide range of scenarios. It is considered an English idiom. Even though it is an informal, everyday term, people do not think it to be slang.

Origin Of The Phrase

The phrase’s origin is not very clear. However, we will explain possible ways it might have developed into the idiom it represents today.

In the 1870s, competition winners received cakes as prizes. This event is where people think the idea of cake meaning “easy” originated.

Moreover, there is an old wive’s tale that in the USA slavery states Around the mid-nineteenth century, slaves would stand around a cake at a gathering during African-American strolling contests. The most “sophisticated” pair in showing their appealing steps would win the cake.

Historians believe that the white owners of the slaves were not aware that they were being made fun of in these so-called “cakewalk” dances. They enjoyed watching their “slaves” imitating their “polished” behavior.

Later on, based on the promenade, the term “cakewalk” started meaning a high-stepping dance with sweeping steps along with the music for the dance.

“Cakewalk” then came to be slang from this tradition by the early twentieth century, meaning that something was elegant, pleasurable, and easy to accomplish. By the late 1930s, it had evolved to “a piece of cake.”

Both terms, “cakewalk” and “a piece of cake,” were first used within British armed forces as slang to describe an easy mission during World War II. “Cakewalk” was then used as the title for a television drama in 1989-1990 in America about the Royal Air Force.

Another speculation of its foundation comes from the related phrase “as easy as pie,” meaning the same thing. Both terms describe the simplicity of something. However, you may wonder, why are cake and pie associated with simplicity and ease?

Even though it seems easy, it takes a considerable amount of effort to bake a cake or pie.

You first have to buy all the ingredients, measure all your portions perfectly, crack some eggs and add them all together. Then you have to mix it all up, insert it in the oven and give it time to cook. It takes a bit of technique and patience to get it right.

What about toppings and decorations? The basics are not hard, but it is difficult. Making a cake was NOT where the phrase came from.

Eating a piece of cake, on the other hand, is quite simple because it’s just delicious! Could the phrase’s meaning have emerged from how easy it is to eat a piece of cake?

Something that’s “a piece of cake” is just easy as eating a delightful piece of cake would be. There are many metaphors related to Cakes and pies that describe easy things.

Anyhow, Ogden Nash was the first to use the term in print in 1936. “Her picture’s in the papers now, and life’s a piece of cake,” he wrote. Nowadays, the term mainly describes more informal situations like tests at school or friendly competitions.

Is It An Idiom Or A Slang?

As mentioned earlier, “cakewalk” was first considered a slang term that later formalized into the idiom “a piece of cake.”

Today, the phrase is considered an idiom, evolving concerning sweetness and intricacy. The expression “A piece of cake” is already too familiar.

How People Use The Phrase

You will probably have difficulty interpreting what the phrase means if you see it on its own and have never seen it before. Is it a “piece of cake” because it tastes good or sweet? Is it easy to bake? These are some ways that may initially raise questions.

People usually use this fun statement when achieving something simple and easy. Individuals use it as a different way of just saying that it was “simple and easy.”

If someone is experiencing anxiety about something they have to do, you can also use this phrase to reassure them. For example, if your brother is worried about moving to another country and getting used to the transition, you can say something like:

“Don’t worry, your new life will be great; you will see, meeting new friends will be a piece of cake!”

In addition, you can use the phrase to express the opposite. If you say that something is “not a piece of cake,” it means that it is hard or takes a lot of effort to accomplish.

How Do Writers Use “It’s A Piece Of Cake”

Writers use this idiom in their conversations in short stories and novels. Like other sayings, this phrase can help readers clearly understand a situation and associate it with their own experiences.

Someone who reads the phrase may instantly remember when they used the term or know that the writer was referring to something that someone did quickly. It is beneficial for writers to connect with their readers and deliver relatable content.

Examples Of The Phrase In A Sentence

1. When you know what you are doing, it’s a piece of cake!
2. I was glad to help; it was a piece of cake.
3. Rescuing scared cats is my specialty. Piece of cake!
4. I had no trouble finding your house – a piece of cake.
5. If it offers you peace of mind, the job’s a piece of cake.
6. Sissy’s family has ten children, so looking after three will be a piece of cake for her.
7. Taking photos with your new Canon camera setup should be a piece of cake.
8. These finals were a piece of cake.
9. The interview was a piece of cake.
10. We know it will be a piece of cake for her; she’s been in the limelight since she was a child.
11. Writing a scientific article is a piece of cake for me.
12. Doing laundry is a piece of cake now with the electric washer and dryer.
13. I don’t like the cleaning part, but arranging the plants will be a piece of cake!
14. This upcoming marathon will be a piece of cake for Pete; he’s been training hard in preparation for it.
15. The vet told me that giving medication to a cat is not that easy. I was lucky my cat didn’t fuss too much about it because I put it inside some bread he wanted to eat. It was a piece of cake!
16. Making slam dunks is a piece of cake for my friend because he is so tall.
17. Solving that puzzle was a piece of cake. I prefer when games are more challenging.
18. Getting rid of him will be a piece of cake.
19. Just another surveillance job, old man. Piece of cake to somebody like you.
20. Don’t think that this semester’s work will be a piece of cake – you’ll have to study to pass with good grades.
21. Some parts of cooking are complicated, but I found that making lentil soup is a piece of cake.
22. Giving Rebecca a make-over was a piece of cake because she’s so naturally beautiful.
23. I know I will have more trouble with the theory part of the exam; that’s why I’ve been working a lot on the practical part. I know it will be a piece of cake for me.

Synonyms And Similar Phrases

1. A breeze
2. No problem
3. A cakewalk
4. As easy as pie
5. As easy as one two three
6. A walk in the park
7. Child’s play
8. A snap
9. A cinch

Other “Cake” Idioms

1. A share/slice of the cake
2. To go/sell like hotcakes
3. To have your/one’s cake and eat it too
4. Nutty as a fruitcake
5. That takes the cake/biscuit!
6. The cherry/icing on the cake

Conclusion

In order to become a more eloquent speaker, you must add expressions and idioms to your vocabulary. But you don’t need to learn them all at once!

The phrase we detailed today, “a piece of cake,” can be used in different types of contexts, making it flexible and easy to remember. When something is easy and doesn’t take much of an effort, you can say it was a “piece of cake.” When was the last time something you did was a “piece of cake”?