I wondered about this for years and years, never understanding, especially, since “having cake” and “eating cake” are used interchangeably. But, I finally figured it out! In this sense, the “having” is equivalent to “keeping” or “being in possession of.”
Examples:
“What’s it like having a Mercedes Benz?”
“The Smiths have a very nice home.”
No eating implied!
Therefore, the saying is more inline with “You can’t keep (to show off or admire) your cake, and eat it, too.”
One time I baked a whole entire cake for myself. There was no occasion or anything I just wanted to have a cake and eat it too. It turns out cakes are really big and it’s really hard for a single person to eat a cake faster than it turns all spongy and icky.
“You can’t have your cake and eat it too”. What is the flaming point of having cake if you can’t eat it?
I wondered about this for years and years, never understanding, especially, since “having cake” and “eating cake” are used interchangeably. But, I finally figured it out! In this sense, the “having” is equivalent to “keeping” or “being in possession of.”
Examples:
No eating implied!
Therefore, the saying is more inline with “You can’t keep (to show off or admire) your cake, and eat it, too.”
But you can. Just cut a hole in the bottom and eat it from there. Then it’s presentable and edible.
Ok smartass
/j
One time I baked a whole entire cake for myself. There was no occasion or anything I just wanted to have a cake and eat it too. It turns out cakes are really big and it’s really hard for a single person to eat a cake faster than it turns all spongy and icky.
That moment when you are an adult and finally can have all the good foods.
Not a native speaker, but I’m pretty sure the idea is, “you can’t eat your cake and still keep it intact”