Lemon Cream Cheese Bread (Moist, Tangy & Creamy)

Servings: 8–10 slices
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50–60 minutes
Total Time: ~1 hour 15 minutes

This Lemon Cream Cheese Bread is soft, moist, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Swirled with rich cream cheese and balanced with sour cream, this easy lemon loaf has the perfect balance of tangy citrus and creamy sweetness. It’s ideal for breakfast, brunch, or a light dessert.

Ingredients

1½ 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

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 oz cream cheese, softened

Instructions

Preheat the Oven
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

Add Eggs
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add Wet Ingredients
Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until well combined.

Combine Wet and Dry
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.

Prepare Cream Cheese
In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.

Assemble the Loaf
Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spoon dollops of cream cheese over the batter, then top with the remaining batter.

Create a Swirl
Use a knife to gently swirl the cream cheese into the batter for a marbled effect.

Bake
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Cool
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)