This delightful lemon cream cheese bread is moist, tangy, and perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack. With a luscious cream cheese swirl and a hint of lemon zest, it’s a refreshing twist on traditional quick bread.
Ingredients
- For the Bread:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- For the Cream Cheese Swirl:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. - Make the Bread Batter:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, sour cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. - Combine Ingredients:
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. - Prepare the Cream Cheese Mixture:
In a separate bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until smooth. - Assemble the Loaf:
Pour half of the bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture over the batter and use a knife to gently swirl it. Pour the remaining batter on top and finish with the rest of the cream cheese mixture, swirling again to create a marbled effect. - Bake:
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil. - Cool and Serve:
Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!
Feel free to customize or adjust any part of the recipe!