Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Toast the coconut in the oven on a baking tray, tossing occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, then leave to cool.

Prepare a loaf tin (9” x 5”).

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, vanilla powder and salt.

Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly add flour mixture and buttermilk, using the flour to avoid any curdling. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).

Fold 20 oz pineapple and 1 cup toasted coconut into batter. Spoon into prepared pan, and level the top. Bake until a skewer inserted in to the center comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes (if necessary, cover pan with foil halfway through). Cool.

Make the buttercream. Put the sugar and water into a pan over a low heat. Dissolve very gently.
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, increase the heat to a rapid boil and leave (don’t stir) until the syrup reaches 121°C/250°F on a sugar thermometer.
Remove the pan from the heat. With the whisk at full speed, slowly pour the hot syrup onto the egg whites. Continue whisking until the meringue is very thick and glossy and has cooled to room temperature.
Gradually add the butter, whisking, until the buttercream is smooth. Add the coconut extract to taste. Chill.

Cover your loaf with buttercream and cover the sides with toasted coconut. Pipe more buttercream around the base and edges and generously cover the top with pineapple.