Heat the milk and butter in microwave until boiling, or scald in a large double boiler. In a pot on a stove, keep hot over medium heat.

Preheat oven to 250 F.

Make cornmeal milk base: In a separate bowl, mix cornmeal, flour and salt; stir in molasses. Thin the mixture with about 1/2 cup of scalded milk, a few tablespoons at a time, then gradually add the mixture back to the large pot of scalded milk. Cook, stirring until thickened.

Temper the eggs by slowly adding a half cup of the hot milk cornmeal mixture to the beaten eggs, whisking constantly. Add the egg mixture back in with the hot milk cornmeal mixture. Stir to combine.

Stir in the sugar and spices, until smooth, then add the raisins.

Pour into a shallow 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 2 hours in preheated oven. Allow pudding to cool about an hour before serving warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.