Lemon Cream Cheese Loaf is a moist and tender cake bursting with lemon flavor with a rich cream cheese swirl. It is delicious and visually stunning, with a beautiful marbled pattern from the swirl. It’s a delightful option for breakfast, brunch, a sweet snack, or dessert. If you prefer just the citrusy loaf without the cream cheese, make my Lemon Loaf for a zesty and refreshing treat.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Room Temperature Ingredients: For best results, use room temperature ingredients, specifically eggs and sour cream. It helps create a better texture and consistency in the final product, including a more moist and tender crumb.
Sour Cream: Adding sour cream to the lemon loaf enhances the flavor (a little tanginess), texture, and overall quality of the loaf. If you don’t have any sour cream on hand, you could substitute plain, full-fat yogurt or buttermilk. However, the substitutions may affect the final product.
Lemon Flavor: In the loaf, I used lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract. Since you need the zest from lemons, I recommend using the lemon for freshly squeezed lemon juice (rather than the bottled lemon juice, but that will also work in a pinch). If you don’t have lemon extract, you could use a little more than a tablespoon of lemon zest to replace the extract.
Cream Cheese Swirl: To make the swirl, all you need is an 8-ounce block of cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar.
Can I Use a Different Sized Pan?
Sure! If you don’t have an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan (or a 9×5-inch loaf pan), you could use an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch square baking dish. A bundt pan can be another great option for baking this dense, moist cake. The shape of the pan allows for even baking and a beautiful presentation. Or, make cupcakes. Keep in mind that using a different size or shape of the pan may affect the baking time and the texture of the finished cake. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the cake as it bakes and test it frequently with a toothpick to ensure it is fully cooked.
How to Store Lemon Cream Cheese Loaf
Lemon Cream Cheese Loaf can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days. For a little longer storage, it will last in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days.
Can I Freeze Lemon Cream Cheese Loaf?
Yes! If you are not planning to enjoy the lemon cream cheese loaf within a few days, store it in the freezer. To freeze the loaf, first, let it cool completely. Next, wrap the loaf in a layer of plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once partially frozen, wrap it in another layer of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Label and date the loaf; it can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
Lemon Cream Cheese Loaf
Ingredients
Lemon Loaf
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (62.5 g) confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Lemon Loaf
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add eggs, sugar, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract. Start on low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high. Beat until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed to ensure all ingredients are well combined. Slowly drizzle in oil.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. (Some lumps are okay.) Set aside while you prepare the cream cheese mixture.
Cream Cheese Swirl
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in confectioners' sugar and beat until well combined.
Assembly
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan, topping with half of the cream cheese mixture.
- Using a butter knife, gently swirl in the cream cheese mixture.
- Pour in the remaining batter and then top with the other half of the cream cheese mixture. Gently swirl in the cream cheese with the butter knife.
- Bake for 75-80 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs. However, check the loaf at 45 minutes, and if it is starting to brown too much, cover it with a loose foil tent. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving (about 30 minutes).
Video
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Oh be st8ll my heart ant wait to make this! Thank you!
I was surprised to see that the recipe doesn’t call for baking soda. Usually when a recipe has sour cream ( as this one does ) or buttermilk, there is usually all baking soda or baking soda and baking powder. This has only baking powder. I just hope this isn’t an error. Baking powder, baking soda, an easy mistake. I love anything lemon and want to make this, but I’m nervous about no soda. Please let me know if it’s an error or not. Thanks, Ginger
It’s not an error. The recipe is correct as written.
Can this be made with gluten free flour and monk fruit sweetener? Thank you
I was going to ask about the gf flour too. Im going to try it but if you do too I recommend the King Arthur Flour brand of all purpose gf flour
Looks incredibly delicious, can’t wait to give it a try 😋
Delish great lemon cake
Can I use butter instead of oil? If so, how much butter?
I asked the same question Jay… excited for a response. I want to use Plugra European butter. This butter will take this cake over the top in richness profile.
You can do anything you would like but I cannot guarantee results based on your adaptations. This recipe is tested and perfected as is.
Hi Amanda, didn’t mean to offend u by asking about the butter substitution. We have dairy cows and so I have a lot of butter on hand….I will heed your advice and follow your recipe “as written”! I appreciate the effort/time it takes to write and test a recipe. You have already done all the work….!
I was wondering if I could substitute some butter into this recipe (along with the veg oil) and if so, what ratio would u recommend?
Also, I don’t have Lemon extract. So how much EXTRA fresh lemon should I add? Thanks so much! Excited to make this recipe! Juls
This looks sooo good!
Can’t wait to try it for my family!
We love lemon anything…mmm!
Sounds awesome, I will surely make this.
I’m preparing to make this recipe. However, when I measured out 187.5 g of flour, I decided to measure out 1 1/2 cups of flour and verify that they were equal they were not. I’m not sure if this is an error in the recipe or not. So do I use one and a half cups of flour or do I use 187.5 g since they don’t measure out equally?
Hi Christine! That is the correct conversion. Here is a website to verify. https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/cooking/cups-grams.php
Do you think I could substitute Ricotta for the cream cheese? I’m dying to make this!!
I made this lemon cream cheese loaf today. It’s amazing!! Thanks for sharing your recipe Amanda 💕