I know I have an old oven, and it still works , but baking my cakes takes me over an hour. Yesterday I baked 6" Red velvet cake, using Sarah's recipe, and by her chart it should be done at 30 minutes. I baked mine for 50 minutes, the bottom was a little bit over baked and the middle just done. Would that help if I lower the temperature (normally I bake at 350), or lowering temperature could dry the cake out?????

It sounds like your heating element is not working right. If it is an electric oven they are fairly easy to replace.

My cakes are usually done when I go running through the house and yell, " Oh Sh1t ! There's a cake in the oven!"

I tend to get distracted easily . I cook pizza the same way. It does always turn out perfect though.

I have an old gas oven, maybe Santa brings me new one.
I am pretty much timing my baking, but when I smell the cake, the middle is still not done. On larger cake pan I am using the heating cores, but the small one are trouble.

My oven doesn't heat quite right either. I bought a cheap oven thermostat at Walmart to keep inside. I use that to go by to tell the actual temp of my oven. This has really helped me in getting my cakes to bake up nicely.

I have a gas oven also. Lowering the temp has never dried my cakes out. I usually bake my cakes at 325deg for about 35-45 min. I know that placement in a gas oven can effect the too don on bottom issue. I bake mine at the top or second from top level. Not sure if this helps, but hope Santa is good to you this year!