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1
First, preheat your oven to 350.
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2
Put the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a stand mixer and whisk them together.
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3
Get a medium saucepan and put in the Coke, canola oil, cocoa powder, and butter.
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4
Turn up your heat to medium and stir that all together until the butter's melted and mixed in. Bring it to a boil, then immediately take it off the burner and let it cool for a few seconds.
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5
Pour the chocolatey goodness into the stand mixer with the flour mixture, then beat it on medium low for a minute.
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6
Mix in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the buttermilk and vanilla. Once that's all mixed in, give it another minute on medium-low.
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7
Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick, then pour the batter in and cram it into the oven for about 35 minutes. When it passes the toothpick test, you're in good shape.
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8
RIGHT after the cake comes out, start making the frosting. I know this runs counter to all of the cake-making lore I've lovingly presented to you on this site, but for some reason that melty, slightly-grainy texture just works with this one.
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9
Get out the saucepan again and stir together the butter, cocoa powder, and half & half over medium heat.
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10
Once again, bring it up to a boil and take it off heat the second you see bubbles.
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11
Whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and Fernet-Branca, then pour it all over the cake and smooth the top with a spatula.
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12
Let it cool to room temperature, then cut yourself a melty slice and put the rest in the fridge.
