ABaking 14" cakes, I have problems getting the center to cook fully without burning the outside of the cake. I typically drop the oven temp down from 350 to 300 until it appears to be done. Anyone have suggestions on what else to do?

Try wrapping the outside with bake even strips to slow down the baking around the edges, and use heat core nails (I would use 3 for a 14" cake ) to speed it up in the center.   I agree with baking at a lower temperature, and allow lots of extra time.  HTH

For yrs I baked at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes, then turned the oven up to 325 for about an equal time.

This kept the cakes from forming that typical hump in the middle and allowed the temp to move evenly spread through the cake.   I never used either bake even strips, heat core or flower nails and don't remember ever having a cake not cook in the center.

Nothing wrong with using bake even strips - I just almost never did.  It might help you as each oven is different and that could be part of your problem.

Last Saturday I tried out a 14" for the first time (I have a half-size apartment size oven, so it just barely fits).  I used the bake even strips and 3 flower nails in a triangle pattern in the center of the cake.  I preheated the oven to 350 then lowered to 325 when I placed the pan inside.  It baked in 60 minutes and turned out perfect!

AThanks so much for the input. I bought some bake even strips and heating cores. Maybe that will help with the lowered oven temps.