Help! Cake disaster

[SpaceTrain]

Am making a cake for birthday party this evening. Cake is 20cm square. I have followed instructions correctly, which included baking at gas mark 3 for 1hr-1hr15.

It has now been in the over for nearly 2 hours and there is still a 2inch diameter bit in the middle that is completely uncooked. (I know this as I sliced the top off to check.

How the hell do I remedy this? Just bake it for longer? And no way can I just cut out the centre bit, or birthday boy will be v disappointed as wont be able to decorate in style I had promised.

I would turn the oven down so that the rest doesn't burn but the middle cooks.

Put the heat up.

oh no, totally conflicting advice!

I'm right

Cover the top with baking parchment (or even tinfoil) and whack the oven up a notch.

ok, am going to go with heat up - on the basis that it will cook quicker and I'm running out of time. Wish me luck!!

And thank you so much for your advice. (Why oh why did I not order a cake or buy from the supermarket??!!)

Ok...disaster kind of averted. Cake made, though icing a bit melted as I didn't have enough time to let it cool down.

Thanks for all the advice.