1. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C). Place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners or if using the big muffin paper cups like mine, place them on a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and stir.
3. Cut the cream cheese into cubes and work it into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender (or your hands) until small chunks of cream cheese remain.
4. In a medium bowl, beat together the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and zest.
5. Stir it gently into the dry ingredients until just combined.
6. Scoop the batter into prepared muffin liners so the cups are about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are a light golden and a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Lemon syrup:

1. Stir together the sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush the syrup on top of the hot muffins.
2. Let them cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool completely on the rack.