ANot necessarily a disaster, but I'm cooking a 12" 2-layer cake for tonight, and I'm using a mud cake recipe I've only ever used for smaller cakes. It cooked at 350 for 35 minutes, and the toothpick came out clean. After I removed it from the oven, however, the center fell about a half inch (now a little bit below the edges and pretty uneven).

It's not so bad that I can't level it out, or even work with it as-is, but I'm very concerned about discovering raw cake when it is sliced to serve. Does a fallen center necessarily mean raw cake? Or is it possible the recipe just doesn't have the strength to support itself at 12"? It was originally a cupcake recipe, but I use it for 10" cakes without problems.

Is there a way to determine whether this thing is cooked?

Thanks!

Larger sized cakes do take longer to bake.  It is hard to tell if the center will be ok or not but my experience has alwyas been that it is - maybe just a tiny bit undercooked when the center has fallen as you described.

I bake gluten-free almost exclusively. Whether the center is done is always a concern with GF, since most are more dense than regular cakes. If you are concerned, cut a small round hole in the middle of your cake and taste it. You can fill the little hole with icing.
 

For cakes 10" or larger I always reduce the temp of my oven to 325 and bake a little longer.  I find it gives a more even bake.... no crusty on the outside and barely baked in the middle. 

I agree is Carrie789 about the cut a hole in the middle (like the side of a cupcake corer) to taste it.

You will also know when you tort it what the center is like but if you cant wait that long to find out go with the hole check

Anything larger than 10" is baked at least 40 min or longer.  I was ending up with undercooked, but edible centers, and I didn't like how that looked when the cake was served.  My family doesn't care nearly as much as I do!

AAll cakes[quote name="Dr_Hfuhruhurr" url="/t/760067/is-this-cake-okay#post_7407007"]Not necessarily a disaster, but I'm cooking a 12" 2-layer cake for tonight, and I'm using a mud cake recipe I've only ever used for smaller cakes. It cooked at 350 for 35 minutes, and the toothpick came out clean. After I removed it from the oven, however, the center fell about a half inch (now a little bit below the edges and pretty uneven).

It's not so bad that I can't level it out, or even work with it as-is, but I'm very concerned about discovering raw cake when it is sliced to serve. Does a fallen center necessarily mean raw cake? Or is it possible the recipe just doesn't have the strength to support itself at 12"? It was originally a cupcake recipe, but I use it for 10" cakes without problems.

Is there a way to determine whether this thing is cooked?

ACakes should be between 195-205 internal temp when fully cooked. Get a digital thermometer. Also when baking a larger cake, reduce the heat by 25 degrees and use flower nails inverted in the center of the cake. Cake strips also help to divert the cooking away from the sides and towards the center. Hope this helps.

AMud cakes are cooked longer at a lower temperature. I bake mine at 310 deg F.