A rubber blanket for covering a transfer cylinder of a printing machine is provided. The transfer cylinder includes a cylinder channel for receiving an end of the rubber blanket to secure the rubber blanket to the transfer cylinder. The rubber blanket includes a rigid carrier plate and a plurality of layers that are arranged on the carrier plate. The plurality of layers include a cover layer, a non-expandable layer arranged underneath the cover layer and at least one other layer. A first end portion of the rubber blanket is adapted for insertion into a cylinder channel. The cover layer and the non-expandable layer extend into the first end portion and the at least one other layer does not extend into the first end portion such that when the rubber blanket is secured to a transfer cylinder the cover layer and the non-expandable layer are inserted into the cylinder channel and the at least one other layer is not inserted into the cylinder channel.