I'm Completely Mesmerized By These 24 Side-By-Sides Of The "Great British Bake Off" Bakes Vs. Their Drawings

It never truly feels like fall until there's a new season of Great British Bake Off to enjoy! This week, we met all the new bakers, and they're already such a lovely bunch.

Now, since I could stare at photos and pretty drawings of food all day, I'm back this season with side-by-sides of the drawings next to the bakes.

Note that the drawings are, of course, done after the final bakes by illustrator Tom Hovey (aka the man with the coolest job ever!). He once told Vulture, “My job is to illustrate what the bakers planned to create, not what they actually baked in the tent." So I just think it's pretty neat to see a side-by-side of what the bakers had planned next to how things turned out.

SIGNATURE CHALLENGE: 12 decorative mini rolls. (Swirl mandatory!)

1.Crystelle's 'Chai and Chai Again' Mini Rolls:

Crystelle's chai mini rolls decorated with gold leaf side by side with their drawing
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2.Jürgen's Schwarzwald Mini Rolls:

Jürgen's mini rolls decorated with chocolate trees side by side with their drawing
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3.Tom's Black Forest Mini Rolls:

Tom's mini rolls side by side with their drawing
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4.Amanda's 'Cherry Soldier' Mini Rolls:

Amanda's vertical standing mini rolls decorated with a chocolate eyelash and dark chocolate coating side by side with their drawing
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5.Rochica's Colin Rolls:

Rochica's mini rolls decorated with curly candied carrots and pecan brittle side by side with their drawing
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6.Maggie's 'Knit & Natter' Mini Rolls:

Maggie's mini rolls decorated with mandarin segments and dark chocolate angels side by side with their drawing
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7.Freya's Vegan Lemon & Raspberry Mini Rolls:

Freya's mini rolls decorated with almond praline and raspberry swirls side by side with their drawing
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8.George's Chocolate & Hazelnut Mini Rolls:

George's mini rolls decorated with edible gold glitter dust and chopped hazelnuts side by side with their drawing
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9.Lizzie's Zoo Mini Rolls:

Lizzie's mini rolls decorated with edible pansies and chocolate feathers side by side with their drawing
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10.Chigs' Strawberries & Cream Mini Rolls:

Chigs' mini rolls decorated with fresh strawberries and pistachio side by side with their drawing
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11.Giuseppe's Easter Mini Rolls

Giuseppe's mini rolls decorated with chopped roasted almonds and white chocolate side by side with their drawing
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12.Jairzeno's Lime & Passion Fruit Mini Rolls:

Jairzeno's mini rolls decorated with caramel swirls and milk chocolate ganache side by side with their drawing
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TECHNICAL CHALLENGE: Malt loaf with homemade butter on the side.

The contestants sitting behind their technical challenge bakes
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SHOWSTOPPER: Anti-gravity illusion cakes.

13.Chigs' 'Where It All Began':

Chigs' anti-gravity cake shaped like a coffee mug pouring into a bowl side by side with its drawing
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14.Giuseppe's 'Jack and The Beanstalk':

Giuseppe's anti-gravity cake of Jack and the Beanstalk made out of fondant detailing  side by side with its drawing
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15.George's Greek Table:

George's anti-gravity cake designed to look like a backgammon board and a coffee pot pouring into a mug side by side with its drawing
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16.Jürgen's 'Night Time Reading':

Jürgen's anti-gravity cake designed to look like a lamp and book side by side with its drawing
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It was hard to capture the details, so here's a closer look at the book:

A closeup of the lines of the pages
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And the lamp:

A closeup of the hooked lamp
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17.Maggie's Ice-cream Cornet (or as we call it here in the states, Cone):

Maggie's anti-gravity cake decorated to look like an ice cream cornet side by side with its drawing
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18.Crystelle's 'Bouq-cake' of Flowers:

Crystelle's anti-gravity cake decorated to look like bouquet of flowers side by side with its drawing
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19.Freya's 'Flower Potty':

Freya's anti-gravity cake decorated to look like a flower pot side by side with its drawing
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Here's the bottom detailing:

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20.Amanda's Elderflower & Lemon Surf Explosion:

Amanda's anti-gravity cake decorated to look like dolphins in the surf at sea side by side with its drawing
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21.Jairzeno's 'Kick the Can' Cake:

Jairzeno's anti-gravity cake decorated to look like a paint can pouring out paint side by side with its drawing
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22.Rochica's Apple Cake:

Rochica's anti-gravity cake decorated to look like an apple hanging from a tree side by side with its drawing
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23.Lizzie's Nana's Peaches & Cream:

Lizzie's anti-gravity cake decorated to look like a peach pie with cream pouring from a mug side by side with its drawing
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24.Tom's Classically Spectacular Showstopper:

Toms's anti-gravity cake decorated to look like a flower pot side by side with its drawing
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In the end, Jürgen was crowned Star Baker and Tom was sent home, mainly because his anti-gravity cake just wasn't anti-gravity. He was a great sport about it and it's still sad to see him go!

Since it's hard to get the full effect of the cakes in some of the side-by-side, here are some great shots from the show's official Instagram account.

And if you enjoy these drawings as much as I do, check out artist Tom Hovey's work on his website and his studio site and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @TomHoveyArt.

Alright, let's talk in the comments! What was your favorite cake bake? Any early standouts to you? And does anyone else just feel a million times calmer now that the show is back?