Description
Lemon cream cheese bread comes straight from Grandma’s kitchen, delivering sunshine in a slice. Packed with tangy citrus and rich cream cheese, this homemade treat will brighten your morning and warm your heart.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 8 oz (225g) cream cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup (180ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
Supporting Ingredients:
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
Seasoning and Leavening:
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Coat a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray or parchment paper.
- Combine 8 oz softened cream cheese with ¼ cup granulated sugar using an electric mixer until completely smooth.
- Add 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to cream cheese mixture. Blend until fully incorporated.
- Whisk 2 cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¾ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, thoroughly blend ¾ cup milk, 1 large egg, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
- Gently fold liquid ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing your batter.
- Transfer half the batter to prepared loaf pan. Carefully spread cream cheese filling over bottom layer, keeping ½ inch border from pan edges.
- Cover cream cheese layer with remaining batter. Smooth the top using a spatula.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
- Let bread rest in pan for 15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Check your cream cheese temperature before mixing to ensure a smooth, lump-free filling that blends perfectly.
- When folding wet and dry ingredients, use a light hand to keep the bread tender and prevent tough spots.
- Use fresh lemon zest for the brightest citrus flavor, and avoid including the bitter white pith when zesting.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend that maintains the bread’s delicate texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55-65 minutes
- Category: Breads
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 327 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 187 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 69 mg