Method:
Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easier removal.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar until smooth. Add the egg, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon of flour. Mix until well combined and set aside.
Make the Bread Batter: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), and lemon juice.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
Assemble the Bread: Pour half of the bread batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the batter, spreading it out but leaving a small border around the edges to prevent it from sticking to the sides of the pan. Top with the remaining bread batter, spreading it out evenly over the cream cheese layer.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are okay, but there should be no raw batter). If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
Cool and Glaze: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. If you’re adding the lemon glaze, mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread and let it set before slicing.
