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Barbary Coast Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Re: Barbary Coast Sour Cream Coffee Cake
From: Diane
To: Phaedrus
Date: 5/31/2026, 1:49 PM

On 5/31/2026 10:16 AM, Diane wrote:

Years ago my husband and I would go to Vegas and would have breakfast at The Victorian Room in the Barbary Coast casino. They served a complimentary slice of coffee cake with cinnamon in it to enjoy while waiting for your food. It was our favorite coffee cake and I would love to make some for my husband for our 35th anniversary in August. Thanks for all the wonderful lost recipes that you find.
Sincerely, Diane

Hello Diane,

I had no success locating a recipe that was directly traceable to The Victorian Room in the Barbary Coast Casino, but Gemini located the below copycat.

Phaed

Note that when the Barbary Coast casino's highly-regarded upscale restaurant, "The Victorian Room" relocated as "Michael's", now located in the "South Point Hotel and Casino."

Fans of the legendary Barbary Coast Casino in Las Vegas (now operating as "The Cromwell") fondly remember the complimentary or low-cost sour cream coffee cake served at their Victorian Room coffee shop.While the casino's closely guarded official recipe was never released, former patrons, hotel staff, and dedicated baking enthusiasts have reverse-engineered a clone that captures the nostalgic flavor and texture of this Vegas classic. It yields a dense, extra-moist crumb heavily laced with cinnamon and a thick crumb/streusel topping.

Barbary Coast-Style Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Prep time: 30 mins | Bake time: 50 mins | Yields: 12-16 slices

Ingredients

For the Streusel & Nut Filling:
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Cake Batter:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup full-fat sour cream (room temperature)
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1\2 tsp baking soda
1\2 tsp salt

For the Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 Tbsp milk or water
1\2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions Prep the Oven & Pan:
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Generously grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish or use a 10-inch tube pan.

Mix the Filling:
In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the chopped nuts, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Cream the Wet Ingredients:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).

Incorporate Eggs & Sour Cream:
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract. Stir in the sour cream until the wet mixture is smooth.

Add Dry Ingredients:
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.

Layer:
Spread half of your thick batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of your streusel-nut mixture over it. Top with the remaining batter and smooth it out, then top with the rest of the streusel.

Bake: Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Test with a toothpick inserted into the center—it should come out clean. Glaze:
While the cake cools, whisk together your powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Drizzle the glaze over the cake while it is still warm but slightly cooled.