Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

1. Make the cake: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth. Gradually pour in the boiling water and stir to combine—this will create a thin batter.
2. Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
3. Make the frosting: While the cake cools, prepare the frosting by beating the softened butter and cream cheese together in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract, and continue to beat until well combined.
4. Crumble the cake: Once the cake has cooled, crumble it into small pieces using your hands or a fork. Place the crumbled cake into a large bowl.
5. Mix with frosting: Add a generous amount of frosting to the crumbled cake (about 1/4 cup at a time) and mix until the cake forms a dough-like consistency. You want it to be moist but not too sticky.
6. Shape the cake pops: Roll the cake mixture into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter, and place them on a parchment-lined tray.
7. Prepare the coating: Melt the chocolate chips with the vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
8. Dip and decorate: Insert a lollipop stick into each cake ball and dip it into the melted chocolate. Tap off any excess chocolate and return it to the tray. Allow the cake pops to set for 30 minutes or until the chocolate coating hardens.
9. Serve: Once the chocolate coating is fully set, your Starbucks-inspired Chocolate Cake Pops are ready to be enjoyed!