Lemon Cream Cheese Bread

Here’s a delightful recipe for lemon cream cheese bread:

Ingredients

For the Bread:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven:
   • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. Make the Batter:
   • In a large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
   • Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
   • Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients:
   • In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Combine Mixtures:
   • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Bake:
   • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Cool:
   • Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Make the Glaze:
   • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest (if using) until smooth. Adjust the consistency with more lemon juice or powdered sugar as needed.
8. Glaze the Bread:
   • Once the bread is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top.

Enjoy your delicious lemon cream cheese bread! It’s perfect for breakfast or as a sweet treat anytime.