I just took my first class and the instructor made the all shorting recipe. Every one in the class is like "this is so good" but to me it was just bad! I was chewing gum at the time so it made the stuff taste like the tong depressors when I was a kid but....ewwww. I though at first it was just too sweet but, am I insane? When she told us that we had to make it for the classes I just shuttered.
You are not the only one! I am not a fan of all shortening buttercream.....I prefer all butter, but all butter just won't hold up to the decorating that you'll need to be doing in class. You can try using a little less vanilla and adding maybe 1/4 tsp of almond extract instead....it will help cut the sweetness just a little.
Nothing wrong with you at all. ALOT of people dont' like the taste of Class Buttercream icing due to the amount of shortening used. However, when I make it using salt, vanilla, butter AND almond flavoring - even my sister who HATES buttercream like mine.
When I took course 1, I used that nasty class buttercream. By the time I took course 2, my family was begging me to make something that tasted better, so I cheated and made my own icing.
If something is wrong with you, then something is wrong with me, too 
I HATE all-Crisco icing. I can still taste those awful Yellow Crisco Roses on my birthday cakes from the bakery back when I was a kid (45+ years ago). Tastes like sweetened grease, to me.
I've only very grudgingly added a bit of Crisco to my otherwise all-butter buttercream lately. It's the only way to deal with the heat and humidity down here.
But I know Wilton classes make you use the all-Crisco type because it's easier to pipe and make those awful roses with.
If I ever do cakes as a business, I'm considering naming my business "I Don't Do Roses".
When I took my classes my teacher was more than happy to let us use the 1/2 butter 1/2 crisco recipe. I used it to ice my cake, however I did one batch of the all crisco recipe for the 2nd class of course 1, just so i could get experience with the consitancies. But after that I used the 1/2 and 1/2 and my teacher never cared. It was the recipe she used at home also. BUT i do recommend learning some techiniques with the all crisco so you can get a feel for the different consitancies. Once you learn then go for whatever recipe you want.
I found icing the cake in the 1/2 butter 1/2 crisco recipe made the whole thing taste better-then just the decorations were all crisco.
HTH
Leily
I wonder if you can use the shortening that's sold in cake supply stores? I can't recall the name of it, someone here will know what I'm talking about. It's not greasy and makes the frosting taste sooo much lighter. Your instructor probably wouldn't even know the difference and you'd still be able to decorate with it. Might give it a try. 
I wonder if you can use the shortening that's sold in cake supply stores? I can't recall the name of it, someone here will know what I'm talking about. It's not greasy and makes the frosting taste sooo much lighter. Your instructor probably wouldn't even know the difference and you'd still be able to decorate with it. Might give it a try
Hi-ratio shortening. You will proabaly have to order it online or find a cake decorating store near you. I restaurant supplier store might also carry it.
HTH
Leily
BTW I have a question is the rainbow cake made in the second class? I think I got very confused the last class.
Yes the rainbow cake is the one in the course book. Our instructor was very helpuful in allowing our creativity to come out though. We were able to pick any simple design to do the gel transfer (of course our class was on valentines day so we all picked different heart photos) Our instructor was more worried about us learning the technique than having the cake come out just like the book, I think I was very lucky! She was great!
Leily
I hate all-Crisco, too. Nothing like a batch of air-whipped oil, YUM! Even with half butter, it's nasty. For class I used half butter and half of the Crisco. I just experiment and take people's advice here on buttercreams. I found a few I really like but some don't pipe well so I usually use my new BC for regular piping and things like roses I'll use Wilton. So, something else for the cake and sometimes something else for piping. Still Wilton for roses as I haven't found any other kind that is stiff enough.
It is suggested to use the all crisco recipe in class because butter has a lowering melting point and can get soft when you are practicing with it, like you will be doing in class. Also if you have really warm hands it will sometimes get too soft.
As an WMI I do ask my students to make the all crisco recipe for class, but do let them know they can experiment with varations at home. I can't help if they have an icing problem is they use a recipe I am not familiar with.
You can ice your cake with an all butter or half and half and bring all crisco to practice and decorate with. That away you get the taste you want on the cake, and the little bit of decorations shouldn't affect the taste that much or they can scrap it off if they really don't like it.
On the cake you do in L2, I give my students the choice of the rainbow cake or the blossom cake in the back of the book, or a variation of it using different cookie cutters. Some instructors are very by the book while others are not and will let you get creative as long as you use the techinques used in class.
Did your instructor give you an email or phone number? If so contact her and ask her for verfication. Just let her know that there was alot of information given out (which there was) and you weren't quite sure.
Thanks for all your support, I do have a very by the book teacher. She had never heard of powder coloring or much of anything outside of Wilton. I did fill out the information to look in to becoming a teacher; I doubt I will be as strictly by the book. I believe experimentation is good in moderation. After this site I also believe that information on different items is very helpful when learning. I like Wilton products and it may work to get by on them only but I do not think a person can get to a professional level with only knowledge of the Wilton line. She is a nice instructor but not as good as this web site. I am glad that I have all of you hear to supplement the classes with. 
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