AITA for sending a store-bought cake when my mother asked for a homemade one?

I (28F) am not much of a cook or baker, I can make some basic stuff but that’s about it. My niece (17F) is a different story, she loves baking so she’s always making different desserts and she’s very good at it. She also works at a local bakery. <br><br>My sister (35F) is celebrating a milestone birthday and our mother (62F) asked me and my niece if we could make a cake. I turned down her offer immediately and said I was bringing a store bought one instead, but my niece said she’d make one since she works at the bakery and her teachers saw her potential so they have her do some advanced stuff. <br><br>My mother wasn’t very happy about my choice but she said it was fine. <br><br>The party went well and my niece’s cake was a huge hit. She also brought some extra cookies and she got a lot of attention. Some people said it was the best cake they’ve ever tasted. My mother was bragging about how talented my niece is and my niece is like part of the family. At one point she joked that she can rely on my niece to make all her cakes from now on. <br><br>I, on the other hand, served my store-bought cake and most people said it was very good. <br><br>My mother and I went to her place after the party was over and that’s when she started talking about how I could’ve tried to make a cake myself, especially since she asked me. I said it’s not worth it because I’m not good at baking and it would taste bad but she said it’s the thought that counts and I could’ve at least tried. I argued that my cake was good and tasted like professional cake and no one complained but she said that my niece brought her favorite cookies and a beautiful cake and she’s part of the family while I brought a store bought cake. I told her she was being unreasonable and I can’t force myself to be a good baker. <br><br>As we were arguing my niece came with her boyfriend (18M) and he brought a store-bought cake and said he saw my mother’s post on Facebook about how good my niece’s cake was and he thought he’d bring a cake from the same bakery. He then pulled out a store bought cake from the same bakery and said that he hoped she’d like it and he’s sorry for not making it himself. <br><br>Her facial expression was priceless. She told him that it was thoughtful of him and thanked him. My niece was also smiling but trying not to laugh. I said nothing and took my things and left. <br><br>My mother called me later and asked if I told my niece’s boyfriend to bring a store-bought cake. I said he does what he wants but what I think she was trying to say is that I was the one who brought it. I denied it and said what’s wrong with store-bought cake when it tastes professional. <br><br>She told me that I disrespected her and mocked her. I said I did nothing of the sort but she hung up. My sister called me later and said that mother was very upset. <br><br>AITA?