coconut pound cake

I've exp the same issue a few times. Cut the sugar by 10 percent.

I can't imagine you can't find unsweetened, shredded coconut. I've also ordered it online. Health food stores have it, Whole Foods has it, even some "regular" supermarkets have it. The sweetened coconut -- in addition to adding too much "sugar" to the cake, is loaded with preservatives that I think impart an "off" taste. Use it at your own risk.

Have you tried a health food store and looked for "dessicated coconut"?

Anyhoo, I would use a little less sweetened coconut, but leave the amount of sugar alone. This is a cake recipe and I try not to change base ingredients of the recipe, like the sugar and the fat. Sugar is a tenderizer in baked goods because it absorbs water and inhibits flour gluten development.