Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Saying ·344 of 348
"You can't have your cake and eat it too."
They never said that.
What people say
"You can't have your cake and eat it too."
What was actually said
"You cannot eat your cake and have it too." English proverb — John Heywood, A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the englishe tongue (1546)
Why it stuck
Heywood's order is the logical one — you can't still have a cake after eating it. The modern reversal makes it nearly nonsensical, though so familiar the sense still carries.
The Unabomber manifesto quoted the original order, helping investigators identify the writer's education.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.