Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the middle

Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter or cooking spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5-6 minutes

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed

Beat in the vanilla extract until well incorporated

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream (begin and end with the flour mixture)

Mix just until combined after each addition, being careful not to overmix

Gently fold in about three-quarters of the sliced strawberries using a rubber spatula

Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and spread it evenly

Arrange the remaining strawberry slices on top of the batter, pressing them in slightly

Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar evenly over the top of the cake

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter)

If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack

Once cooled, run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake

Serve directly from the pan or carefully invert onto a plate and then flip right-side up onto a serving platter

If desired, dust with powdered sugar just before serving