Also, in Br English, we have the expression 'take the biscuit'. I'm not sure the Americans have :?:'take the cookie':?: - which would bring us back to 'cake' (by way of the Dutch for 'cake').
b
***** NOT A TEACHER *****
(1) In the United States, some people (probably not the younger generation) say:
You take the cake (usually in a negative sense):
I have met some rude people in my life, but you take the cake!
Some sources say that it can also be used in a positive sense, but
I personally find it strange:
Everyone I know dresses very nicely, but you take the cake. (?????)
(2) No, Americans would never say, "You take the biscuit/cookie."
(a) For Americans, a biscuit is a little bread (with ham and eggs).
(b) For Americans, a cookie is what you chaps call a biscuit.