I'm thinking about trying either the crusting buttercream recipe or the crusting cream cheese recipe, but I've heard several people complain about the shortening taste. Would using the butter-flavored Crisco decrease this effect? Would the frosting still crust as well as it would if I used the regular Crisco?

I haven't heard of crusting buttercream. That's a new one to me.

Use the Buttercream Dream recipe on this site. It is yummy and crusts nicely!

It will still crust but it won't be white. Try adding some clear butter flavoring, that seems to help. I use 1/2 crisco and 1/2 butter and don't really notice the crisco taste. HTH

I go scant on the crisco... in other words, if the recipe calls for a cup I don't quite fill it all the way. Then I use lots of clear vanilla, clear butter, and then whatever other complimentary clear flavor the cake would go with, and the result is pure white, and delicious, but it doesn't have that greasy feel/taste. It still crusts very well!

First, don't use the butter flavored Crisco... it's bright yellow ! I had that problem when I first started decorating. I then found a recipe that crusts has Crisco for the durability in it and that doesn't taste like Crisco at all !

Crusting Buttercream

1 c Crisco
1 c unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla flavor
3/4 tsp butter flavor
2 lb bag powdered sugar
5 Tbsp Heavy cream or milk

In a stand mixer, cream Crisco, butter and both flavorings. Add powdered sugar in 3 parts into the creamed mixture, mixing intil well combined between additions. Lastly add 1 Tbsp of the cream or milk at a time while the mixer is on low. Once you've added all of the cream or milk, mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. The icing will get light and fluffy, and will turn a lighter color.

If you can get your hands on it, I find using hi-ratio shortening instead of crisco really helps with the taste of it - you don't get that coated-inside-the-mouth sensation like you get with crisco. And if you use half butter and half shortening, that will help a lot also (I find that if I use salted butter, it saves me the step of trying to dissolve salt in the water and I don't have to risk a stray salt crystal messing up my icing colors)

I use it and smooth with Viva just fine!