Lemon Loaf

My sister loves Starbucks Lemon Loaf, so I thought I’d try my hand at making it at home.  Pro Tip: Enjoy this with Jeni’s Lemon & Blueberries Parfait Ice Cream.  You can thank me later.

INGREDIENTS

1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons juice
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 oz cream cheese, melted

For the Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a (9×5 inch) loaf pan.

• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, honey, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, then add the lemon juice, vanilla, and yogurt. It's going to look curdled. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until just combined.

• In a bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon lemon zest.

• Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Dollop teaspoon size amounts of the cream cheese over the batter, using half the cream cheese. Gently swirl the cheese using a paring knife. Spoon over another 1/3 of the batter, then swirl in the remaining cream cheese, then spoon the remaining batter over. It's OK if all the cream cheese is not covered. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the center is just set. If the cake is browning, cover with foil to finish baking.

• Let cool completely before frosting.

• Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and honey. Pour the glaze over the loaf. Let set 1 hour.