We give examples , notes on usage , and sometimes we use them in short stories . Today we talk about a popular dessert -- cake . Cakes are made by baking a mixture of flour , sugar , eggs , and butter . They come in just about any flavor you can imagine – from chocolate , vanilla , and lemon to unusual flavors like cherry , coconut , and pumpkin . And do not forget about the icing . This sweet topping also comes in just about any flavor imaginable . We often eat cakes to celebrate birthdays , weddings , and other important events . All this talk about cake has brought my attention to a common expression : to have your cake and eat it too . This expression , or idiom , can be used to describe a couple different situations . One is where two good things happen at the same time . For example , a friend of mine loves to read so she got a job at a library . Now , she reads all day long and gets paid ! Talk about having your cake and eating it too ! Here's an example : My friend just had a baby . She has a good job that pays well . And now she spends more time with her new baby by working from home . We can say that she is having her cake and eating it too ! In both of these examples , we could also use this expression : to have the best of both worlds . Now , here is another form of our cake idiom . We also commonly use it in the negative form : You can't have your cake and eat it too . You must decide which one you want because you can't have both . In other words , you cannot have two conflicting things . For example , let's say your friend is complaining about the amount of taxes he pays . But at the same time , he complains about the lack of services the city provides . You could say to him , “Look , you can't have your cake and eat it too . Better services cost money .” You could also say , you can't have the best of both worlds . Another similar expression is : you can't have it both ways . You can't have your cake and eat it too also means we should not try to have more than is reasonable . In other words , you can't possess the cake and eat it at the same time . Once the cake is eaten , it is gone . Here , you have the best of both worlds . You can have your cake and eat it too !