If I knew you were coming, I'd have baked a ca



If I knew you were coming, I'd have baked a cake

An expression of delighted surprise at finding someone whose appearance was unanticipated. The title of a 1950 hit record by Eileen Barton, the phrase quickly caught on, and for at least a decade thereafter anyone who appeared where least expected was likely to be greeted with “If I knew you were coming, I'd have baked a cake.”
See also: baked, cake, have, if, knew

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
NelleNELEnglish
MÁTyÁSMAH-tyahshHungarian
Masuma-Arabic
Arrow['ærəu]
SpuriusSPUWR-i-uwsAncient Roman
Raya-Bulgarian