Ingredients
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
8 oz sour cream, at room temperature (or substitute plain full-fat yogurt)
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
For the Cream Cheese Swirl:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a standard loaf pan (8½ by 4½ inches).
2. In a large bowl, blend together the sugar, eggs, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and oil until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
4. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined, with some lumps remaining.
5. In another bowl, mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
6. Pour half of the lemon batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture on top and swirl gently with a knife or spoon.
7. Add the remaining batter and repeat the swirling process with the rest of the cream cheese to achieve a marbled effect.
8. Bake for 65 to 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs. Check at around 45 minutes and tent with foil to prevent over-browning if necessary.
9. Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan before slicing for best results.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🧈 Using room-temperature eggs and dairy products results in a better texture and increased moistness.
🍋 Fresh lemon juice and zest bring more vibrant flavors than bottled versions.
🌰 For extra texture, consider mixing in chopped nuts to the batter before baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
