200 g self-raising flour

chocolate ganache (see recipe further down)

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases.

Melt the chocolate with the butter, either in the microwave or in the oven (while the oven is warming up for the cupcakes), then whisk with an electric beater. Add the sugar, keep beating, and add the eggs one by one, the vanilla essence and the flour.

Divide the mixture between the 12 cases and bake for about 18–20 minutes. You can check if the cupcakes are cooked by inserting a toothpick into them; if it comes out clean the cupcakes are ready. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and leave to cool.

Prepare the chocolate ganache. Refrigerate the ganache for 1 hour and then whip with an electric beater until it doubles in size. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a medium or large nozzle and pipe onto your cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

These cupcakes are quite sweet and rich, so probably don't need any more sugar decorations. However, to add a touch of colour, cut out some pretty patterned paper in whatever shape you like and glue them over toothpicks to make little flags. Otherwise, just top with a fresh cherry or strawberry.

Chocolate ganache

100 ml cream

To melt the chocolate you will need to use a bain-marie. Place a metal or Pyrex glass bowl over a saucepan filled with water. The bowl should be a little bigger than the saucepan, so that no water or steam can escape and ruin the chocolate (or burn you!).

Cube the chocolate and place inside the bowl with the cream. Slowly bring the water to the boil and simmer, stirring constantly with a small hand whisk or a spatula, until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat, taking care with the hot water and escaping steam. Keep stirring the ganache as it cools down.

Extracted with permission from 'Party Food for Girls' by Alessandra Zecchini and Arantxa Zecchini Dowling, with photography by Shaun Cato-Symonds, published by New Holland, RRP $29.99