Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with baking spray, using a pastry brush brush the spray all over the loaf pan to make sure it is covered, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients- flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined.
1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Add the cheese and stir it together so the cheese is coated in the flour mixture, set aside.
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Pour this mixture into the dry and stir it until just combined, a few dry spots are okay.
1 cup whole milk, 1 large egg
Add the melted butter and mix it in until everything is combined and there are no dry patches.
1/4 cup unsalted butter
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
While the bread is baking, whisk together the butter, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, and dried parsley for the topping, set aside.
Place the bread in the loaf pan on a wire rack to cool slightly.
Immediately brush the bread with the butter topping. Let the bread cool for 5 minutes in the pan then take it out of the pan and cool completely on the wire rack. Slice and serve.
Notes
Don’t overmix the batter to keep the bread light and fluffy.
Check the bread 5 minutes before the timer goes off to prevent over-browning.
Let the bread cool for a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack.
Experiment with different kinds of cheese for new flavors.