Need advice on using "Piece of Cake" as term

#1

Not sure if this is the right category to ask, but here I go (please mind that I’m not a native speaker of English, so please bear with me):

Could you please help me in evaluating if the term “Piece of Cake” could be regarded as offending, espically regarding racism?
I want to use it in my text and after searching the web the orgin of the phrase may have a racist implication.
How is the word perceived today in particular by poc (which I’m not)? Is it ok to use it without offending someone?

Thanks in advance for your help.

#2

I’m not aware of any dubious or offensive links to the phrase; it’s in common use in the UK. Can you provide a reference for the possible offensive origin of the phrase so I can check?
Merriam Webster points to first usage in the '30’s as does the Cambridge University Press, both reputable sources.

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#3

Thanks for the helping hand @Alun_R !

I found those articles

So, this seems to smell a bit fishy, at least in the U.S.
Therefore I decided against “piece of cake” in the meantime and used another term.
Thanks again for your time and effort!

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#4

I see nothing conclusive in none of the articles. Such titles as “the surprisingly racist origin (…)”, despite sincere good intentions, sound like click bait to me.

Minstrel shows are a shame in American history. But I find it frightening to base a decision on the ground of mere suspicion. I read very quick, and would be grateful if someone could point to me a solid link in the articles.

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#5

As a nonnative speaker, I’m a bit overcautious here because l need the term to replace a racist term and don’t want to put my foot in he mouth right away. I certainly overshoot the mark but I have now chosen a different term (no pique–nique, pardon my French) to which there is an article by Reuter, which invalidates the accusation.

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#6

I would say that “piece of cake” is an idiom that has been fully divested from its problematic origins. While it is ultimately your decision whether you are comfortable including it or not, I truly cannot see anyone being upset by its inclusion.

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#7

Thanks everybody for the help and insight!