okay so I need to tell you about this lemon cream cheese bread I accidentally made amazing after like three failed attempts that my family still makes fun of me for.

my mom used to make something similar when I was growing up but she’d never write down recipes. just threw stuff in bowls and somehow it always worked. I tried recreating it from memory last spring and the first loaf came out so dense you could’ve used it as a doorstop lol. second time I added way too much lemon and it was like biting into a cleaning product.

third attempt I was watching TikToks while mixing and accidentally added the cream cheese to the batter instead of making a separate swirl. thought I ruined it but it ended up being the best version. now that’s how I make it every time and people ask me to bring it to every potluck.

my neighbor Linda saw me carrying one last week and literally stopped her car to ask for the recipe. felt like a celebrity for like 30 seconds. now I make two loaves whenever I bake it because one never makes it past the first day.

Lemon Cream Cheese Bread

why this bread is addictive

tangy cream cheese cuts through the sweetness so it’s not cloying like some lemon desserts

super moist and stays that way for days because of all the dairy in it

works for breakfast dessert or that weird 3pm snack time when you need something

smells incredible while baking and makes your whole house smell like a fancy bakery

looks impressive but honestly takes like 15 minutes of actual work

What you need

here’s what goes in but I never measure exactly:

How to make it

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. I always forget this step and then stand around waiting for it to heat up.

 

Grease a loaf pan really well with butter or spray. don’t skip this or you’ll be chiseling bread out of the pan later. been there.

 

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. I just use a fork for this nothing fancy.

 

Beat the butter and sugar together in another bowl until it’s fluffy. I use my hand mixer but a whisk works if you have arm strength.

 

Add the eggs one at a time beating after each one. this is where I usually get distracted scrolling Instagram and forget which egg I’m on.

 

Stir in the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. your batter might look a little curdled now but that’s normal don’t panic.

 

Add half the flour mixture and mix until just combined. then add the milk. then add the rest of the flour. don’t overmix or it’ll get tough.

 

Cut the cream cheese into small chunks and fold them into the batter. they don’t have to be perfectly distributed. mine are always uneven and it’s fine.

 

Pour the batter into your greased pan. smooth the top with a spatula if you care about aesthetics. I usually don’t.

 

Bake for like 50-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. my oven runs hot so I check at 45 minutes. yours might be different.

 

Let it cool in the pan for maybe 10 minutes then turn it out onto a wire rack. if you try to move it too early it’ll fall apart. learned that the hard way.

 

Make the glaze while it’s cooling by mixing powdered sugar with a tiny bit of lemon juice. should be thick but pourable. add juice slowly.

 

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread. I use a spoon for this and it gets messy but whatever it tastes good.

Tips and stuff

• Add poppy seeds to the batter for that lemon poppy seed situation. I do this sometimes when I remember to buy them which is rare.
• Use Greek yogurt instead of milk for extra moisture and tang. my friend does this and swears it’s better but I haven’t tried it yet.
• Make mini loaves in those small pans for gifting. baking time would be like 30-35 minutes instead. great for holidays.
• Add blueberries to the batter if you want fruit. fold them in gently at the end so they don’t turn the whole thing purple.

Storage notes

keeps on the counter covered for maybe 3 days. after that it starts getting dry so move it to the fridge.

refrigerated it lasts like a week but the texture changes and it’s not quite as fluffy. still tastes good though.

freezes really well for up to 3 months wrapped tight in plastic wrap then foil. I slice it first so I can thaw individual pieces.

I have a loaf in my freezer right now that I’m pretty sure is from last month but I never labeled it so it could be older. found it when looking for frozen peas last week. debating whether to risk it.

Nutrition per slice

for about 10 slices:

these are estimates from some online thing. I don’t actually know because I’ve never calculated it properly. cream cheese and sugar aren’t exactly diet food but it’s a treat not a meal.

Questions I always get

 

can I use lemon extract instead of fresh lemon

you could but it won’t taste the same. fresh lemon has this brightness that extract just doesn’t have. also you’d miss out on the lemon zest which adds a lot of flavor

 

my cream cheese chunks didn’t melt what happened

they’re not supposed to fully melt. they should stay in little pockets throughout the bread. if you want them more melted mix the cream cheese with a bit of the batter first to soften it

 

can I make this without cream cheese

then it’s just regular lemon bread not lemon cream cheese bread. you could skip it but that’s kind of the whole point. maybe add extra butter or sour cream instead

 

how do I know when it’s done baking

stick a toothpick or knife in the center and if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs it’s done. if there’s wet batter on it give it 5 more minutes. don’t overbake or it’ll be dry

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