Dancing for a piece of cake
By Anne18
@Anne18 (11029)
October 5, 2011 4:39am CST
We've used the phrase "its a piece of cake" for as long as we can all remember, but where does it originally come from?
In the days of slavery in the United States, slave couples would dance around a cake, with the most graceful movers winning it.
Winners got in the habit of saying it was "A piece of cake", meaning it had been easy, and another term "cakewalk" stems from the same idea..... not sure about the cakewalk at the fair as I have to hold on tight to keep upright! Not a piece of cake!!
Anyone for a dance??
1 person likes this
9 responses
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
7 Oct 11
First of all, thank you so much for the discussion that I have learned the history of a piece of cake. I often read it from books, but I had no idea how it came about. Now I see how from this informative discussion. Thanks again and have a good time, Anne.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
7 Oct 11
Interesting! I had not known that at all. Though you know in those days a cake was a real treat a break from the normal fare one would have available or made affordable to them.
@celticeagle (167015)
• Boise, Idaho
6 Oct 11
Or as the two waitresses in the movie Enough would say: "Piece of cake?" "Piece of pie!" I don't dance for cake. I would dance for my dinner, for a wage, for fun, for frolick, or even for the heck of it. But not for cake! Unless ofcourse it was cheese cake! Yummy!
@strawberrychocodahi (4818)
• Philippines
5 Oct 11
It's an added spice to our daily conversations. In fact these idioms can add flavor. I do use it sometimes when I am writing an article. There are funny and witty idiomatic expressions which I did enjoy during High school taught by our teacher.
@fabsprecious (1565)
• United States
5 Oct 11
I tend to utilize that phrase "It's a piece of cake" a lot, especially with my children, but I never really knew where it had originally originated from. It's kind of interesting to know. My son likes to say when he finishes his homeworks at night.
Thanks for sharing.
@bennyboy90 (49)
• China
6 Oct 11
I never heard about this,but through your explanation that grown my knowladge,it is very intreseting about dance around a cake,how big the cake is?i think may be so big.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
5 Oct 11
well maybe if a cake was worth a dance then why not har har har. i saw a baker on tv once said.... people think it is a piece of cake but its not. he was reffering with cake baking. i agree with that. i am not a good cook nor a good baker but i am good in eating. so dancing for a cake wont really hurt although i am not good in dancing as well. but it is worth they try and it sounds fun. so shake your butty. 
@Anne18 (11029)
•
10 Oct 11
Shake your butty.
I can get buy with cooking, everyone eats my food and I cooked for nine the other day... seems alot but I do cook for five everyday, used to be six until one child left the nest.
Glad that you are good at eating cake, doesn't matter if you are not good at dancing, doesn't matter how you dance you will still be fit.
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
28 Nov 11
There are all kinds of traditions with cake. When we went to cut our first piece of wedding cake, my grandmother come up and said take the first slice and freeze it and on your first wedding anniversary bring it out and eat it and your rememberances will come back of your wedding day.
We did do it and it is a nice tradition that dates back to the early 1900's if not earlier.
