You can't eat your cake and have it too.

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This is the original version of the saying "you can't have your cake and eat it too" and it's the one that actually makes sense.

ah.

well, it doesn't make that much sense, as why would anyone want cake if the purpose wasn't to eat it?


is it like saying you can't eat cake twice? this is one saying I have always thought was stupid.

I used to wrestle with the conundrum of why anyone would have a cake for any purpose but to it. But then I figured that the saying must be about a fancy wedding cake with all of the visual trimmings on it. Something someone might want to "have" for a while just to look at.

But you cant "have" it to look at, AND eat it too.

If you eat your cake, you won't have it anymore.

it took me several years to figure this one out. who likes looking at cake? that was the sticking point. i couldn't comprehend why anyone would want a cake just for decoratio.

I still don't, but I understand the saying.

Maybe a fake cake, but I can't imagine anyone wanting a real cake just for decoration.

lol, wow, I always thought there had to be two cakes involved, or maybe you have the cake in the car with you when you're driving home from the store and then eat it later after dinner? Regardless, I always have my cake, till I eat it, and after that I don't care anymore.....

Aldran

It's a mystical way of saying you can't have it both ways. Once you choose, it's over. If you eat your cake, it's gone; you can't have it anymore.

so it's punitive? you've eaten your cake and so you lose: the cake is gone.

Of course it's gone! it's there for eating.

I can't really understand. No matter how much anyone explains this one, I can't really figure out its purpose. I have an inkling it's supposed to teach people a lesson of some sort, but it's lost on me.