Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread all of the shredded coconut on a baking sheet. Bake for 6–10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until it is lightly toasted and fragrant. This prevents the coconut from being "chewy" and instead adds a deep, toasted flavor.

While the coconut toasts, pour the pineapple chunks into a fine mesh strainer. Let them sit for at least 10 minutes to remove excess juice. If the pineapple is too wet, it will create "gummy" pockets in your bread.

In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed for 3 minutes. You are looking for a light, pale texture that resembles frosting.

Add the eggs one at a time. Then, alternate adding the dry ingredients (flour, soda, salt) and the sour cream in batches. Crucial: Mix only until the white streaks of flour disappear. Over-mixing at this stage will make the bread tough.

Fold in the drained pineapple and 1 cup of the toasted coconut using a spatula.

Pour the batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of toasted coconut over the top.

Bake for 65–70 minutes. Pro Tip: After the first 35 minutes, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan. This allows the center to bake through without burning the delicate coconut on the surface.

Let the bread rest in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This allows the internal steam to settle, making it easier to slice.