1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8″ or 9″ round cake pan (or line with parchment).
2. Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a bowl.
3. Cream wet ingredients: Beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy (~3–4 min). Add eggs one at a time, then lemon juice.
4. Alternate additions: Add flour mixture in 2 parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
5. Bake 35–40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and edges pull away slightly.
6. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
7. Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake. Sprinkle with zest if desired.

💡 Pro Tips:
– Use room-temperature cream cheese to avoid lumps.
– For extra lemon punch, brush warm cake with 2 tbsp lemon syrup (equal parts sugar + lemon juice, heated).
– Store covered at room temp up to 3 days—it stays wonderfully moist!

Prep Time & Nutrition (per slice, serves 8):