Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and cream cheese until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
4. Mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Variations & Tips
For a nuttier texture, you can add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter. If you’d like a bit more sweetness, consider adding a lemon glaze by mixing powdered sugar with a little lemon juice and drizzling it over the cooled bread. Picky eaters who might shy away from the zest can still enjoy the bread if you reduce the lemon zest to 1 teaspoon. For a healthier twist, substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.