Buttercream vs white icing

We are actually choosing a buttercream that will end up being lumpy just because it tastes better. I say like others, I dont care if the cake looks perfect, i just want it to taste good.

Actually, your baker isn't telling your the truth. If the cake is freshly frosted then the buttercream should never crack. The fat in the butter is usually what prevents that. Fondant on the other hand can crack if it dries out as well. It has no fat in it, it's made with egg white, icing sugar and some sort of glucose binder. If any cake is sitting for more than 24 hours, it will crack.

I would go for taste over appearance any day.

My mother is a cake decorator who uses buttercream all of the time, I have never seen it crack, wrinkle or appear porous. The only time I've seen that happen is when the buttercream is too dry or it's really old.

eta spelling errors

My baker has been in business for over 30 years, they are one of the most in demand bakeries in the area. They def know what they are doing! Buttercream is not as smooth as fondant, this is why fondant is preferred in regards to looks. Fondant is rolled& applied for the smoothest cakes. Of course, my baker can beautifully work with buttercream to achieve a beautiful smooth cake, but buttercream will never have the smoothness you get from fondant as it is porous, it can also move slightly on the cake when warm.

B/c my cake is very simple outside of the flower on the side, the smoothness of the frosting was a concern for me. However, I am going with buttercream!

White icing is a real thing lol. It is a term my baker uses to describe traditional wedding cake frosting made with a shortening base. It sets much more firmly than buttercream making is 2nd in line for smoothness next to fondant. I was never considering fondant, just wasn't sure between the white icing & buttercream.

Buttercream it is ladies, thanks for your comments & concerns lol.

Have you tried your baker's fondant? I never liked fondant till I had the fondant our baker made. Even at our wedding, guests were talking about how good it was. The taste issue might be in the bakers technique or skill level. The fondant on our cake was delicious. We did fondant over buttercream. Taste and design were equally important to us.